Isle of Man icons Mark Cavendish and Michael Dunlop meet

Michael Dunlop, the most successful rider in the history of the Isle of Man TT Races, was back on the Island this week and met up with Island native and Tour de France legend Sir Mark Cavendish MBE.

Dunlop and Cavendish both established their own slice of sporting immortality this summer, when they became the Greatest Of All Time in their respective sports.

In June, Michael overtook the long-standing record tally of 26 TT victories held by his late, great uncle Joey Dunlop, with four more victories putting him at the top of the TT victory chart with a staggering 29 wins.

And in July, Mark defied all of the odds to claim a record breaking 35th Tour stage win, overtaking the Belgian great Eddy Merckx in the process. 

The links between these two sporting GOATS are hard to ignore: Both men achieved their successes on two wheels driven by a thirst for speed. 

Both overtook a record held by the greatest and most revered riders of all time. And both have had to overcome significant adversity in the process, defying the odds and – at times – logic to create history.

But perhaps the small Island in the middle of the Irish Sea is the greatest link of all. The Isle of Man is home to the TT Races, and the place that has dominated the attention of Dunlop’s sporting ambitions for a lifetime. 

Whilst it is the birthplace of Cavendish and the place where he learnt his craft as a young cyclist, before going on to achieve unprecedented success on the international stage.

These two sporting greats were keen to meet one another and instantly clicked, comparing notes on the weight of expectation, overcoming adversity, and their respective plans for the future.

Michael Dunlop and Sir Mark Cavendish are two of the world’s most committed and driven sportsmen who have put themselves and the Isle of Man on the global sporting map.