Cav tipped for the top

By Rory Smith, sundaymirror.co.uk 20/07/2008

Tour De France hero Mark Cavendish could become one of the biggest stars in British sport, according to cycling guru Dave Brailsford.

Brailsford is the mastermind behind Britain's rise to the top in track cycling and hopes to guide Cavendish to Olympic gold in Beijing. And he is convinced that the Manx sprint king - who has won a record four stages in this year's Tour - can fire cycling into Britain's sporting mainstream.

Brailsford said: "They say Cav is the Wayne Rooney of cycling - but he's much more important than that! He'll be one of the key figures in this sport for the next 10 years.

"I remember when he first walked into the British Cycling centre in Manchester. We asked him what we should know about him and he just said: 'I'm the fastest man in the world.' And sure enough, that's exactly what he is."