EXCLUSIVE: Cavendish tells 3FM how proud he is to be awarded an MBE

Mark Cavendish has been telling 3FM of his delight at being awarded with an MBE.

Mark Cavendish has been telling 3FM of his delight at being awarded with an MBE.

The Manx Missile has been given the honour for his services to British Cycling.

The 26 year old's cycling career has seen him win 15 stages of the Tour De France, get shortlisted for the Sports Personality of the Year Award two years in a row and even given the Freedom of Douglas in April.

Cav, who is currently in Switzerland for the Tour de Suisse 2011, says; 'It's not often a cyclist gets an awarded with this without winning an Olympic medal so it shows how big cycling is getting in the UK now.'

'I'm made up, it's been really hard to keep it a secret. I don't know who nominated me but if it's somebody from the Isle of Man that makes me really really happy and honoured.'

He passed on his huge congratulations to David Knight who also has been honoured with an MBE.

(Listen to Mark's interview with Kelly Foran above.)