2021 Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish, pictured at home with son Casper.

"I went from wearing the yellow jersey in the 2016 Tour de France, winning four stages, winning a world championship and being second in the Olympics and having the highs of everything to not being able to win a race. I had Epstein Barr virus, I suffered from clinical depression. I had injuries and it was career over," he said.

Long term supporter and patron of the Charity, Mark has taken inspiration from the wounded veterans that he has met, helping him to achieve his most incredible green jersey win at this year’s Tour de France, equaling the legendary Eddy Merckx’s stage-win record. Mark harnessed the same grit and determination that he saw in those veterans, to help him overcome his own challenges these past five years and now he hopes he can inspire others to, “never give up”.  

"Now I have kids and first and foremost I wanted to inspire them. I’ve seen people get on bicycles since I started riding my bike professionally. I want to inspire them. What I want to put out is that you should never give up. Obviously, over the last couple of years, I’ve had it harder but if you keep fighting and you don’t give up then good things will come from it."

Hannah Lawton, Help for Heroes Sport Recovery Manager, hailed Cavendish’s phoenix-like resurgence.

“We’re all delighted for him; he’s an absolute inspiration and demonstrates the power of sport as a recovery tool from both a physical and psychological perspective. We work daily with people for whom physical and psychological concerns are barriers to a normal life and, like Cav, they work hard to overcome them. And achieving that personal growth is their gold medal or green jersey. I’m sure they will be even further inspired by him now.”

We joined Mark and Peta at their home for a photoshoot of our top clothing picks; young Casper joined the fun wearing our Ombre Union Jack Cycling Jersey. Plenty of growing room there!