Sir Mark Cavendish Named Official Starter for 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans

Overview

• The Automobile Club de l’Ouest named Cavendish the official starter Wednesday, placing the record-holding sprinter in the pre-race role for the June 13–14 endurance race at Le Mans.
• He will wave the green flag to launch the 94th running of the 24-hour contest at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
• Cavendish owns 35 Tour de France stage wins and ended his professional cycling career in 2024.
• In remarks released by organizers, he called Le Mans a temple of sport that reaches fans beyond any one discipline.
• The organizers often tap global stars for this honor, with recent starters including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, LeBron James and Zinédine Zidane.