Hoy and Pendleton join Cavendish and others as Procter and Gamble brand ambassadors
Mark Cavendish was awarded his MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the British Queen at Buckingham Palace, London, today. The award was made for “services to British cycling” but, significantly, was announced as part of the traditional “Queen’s Birthday Honours” on June 1st, before the Manxman won the Tour de France green jersey and World championships.
The MBE is the least senior of the classes of the Order of the British Empire and, had the award been announced after Cavendish’s 2011 achievements he might have expected a higher level.
Cavendish’s contemporaries that have also received honours from the queen include Bradley Wiggins CBE, Sir Chris Hoy MBE, Victoria Pendleton MBE and Geraint Thomas MBE; these were awarded after gold medal-winning performances at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 (although Wiggins had previously been awarded the OBE, and Hoy the MBE, following his performances in Athens 2004).
Cavendish’s award presentation came on the day that it was announced that he, Hoy and Pendleton are included in a list of eleven British athletes to become UK Brand Ambassadors for multinational company Procter and Gamble (P&G) on the run up to the games.
P&G’s brands include Gillette, which will be represented by Hoy, and Pantene, which will be represented by Pendleton.
"I've used Pantene since I was a little girl so I am thrilled to be the Pantene ambassador in 2012," said the Olympic and multiple World champion sprinter.
The eleven-strong list of athletes includes former World champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis, marathon World record holder Paula Radcliffe, and European number one T35 sprinter Sophia Warner.