Participants in the Friends Life Tour Ride this October will receive an extra boost on their 100-mile sportive, after it was today confirmed the ride will become the Official Sportive of 2011 World Champion Mark Cavendish MBE. 

In addition to being a part of the ride on Sunday 5 October, Britain's most successful Tour de France rider, with 25 stage wins, will be personally involved in the final weeks of planning for the event, as he prepares for a much larger involvement in 2015's Friends Life Tour Ride. 

The announcement will see Mark Cavendish and his CVNDSH brand become synonymous with the event, with the rider playing a leading role in shaping the future of the Friends Life Tour Ride and making it the best possible riding experience for participants. 

Speaking about the ride, Cavendish, who is due to ride the Friends Life Tour of Britain two weeks prior to his official sportive said; 

"For several years now I've been looking to launch my own official sportive and when the opportunity came to start a partnership with the organisers of the Friends Life Tour of Britain, I knew it had potential to be the best cycling sportive in the UK," said the former British and World Road Race champion. 

"Together we plan to continue to develop this sportive into a truly unique and special ride and experience. I'm really look forward to working with the team to grow this into something incredibly special. We have some exciting plans ahead." 

With five-weeks to go until the Friends Life Tour Ride, which will start and finish from Staffordshire University's Stoke-on-Trent campus, Cavendish will be personally involved in overseeing arrangements for the 2014 event, while looking ahead to the 2015 ride, when a longer lead time will allow an even greater involvement in the sportive. 

Amateur cyclists who sign-up to either the 50-mile Challenge or 100-mile Pro distances will be taking on a route that includes the Gun Hill climb that has regularly appeared in the Tour of Britain, plus roads ridden by Cavendish and his professional colleagues during former stages of Britain's national Tour. 

Alongside Cavendish, taking part will also be large team entries from Friends Life Tour of Britain partners Friends Life, YodelDirect and Costa Express, plus riders fundraising for 2014 Official Charity Partners Action Medical Research and Right to Play. 

Entries cost £35, and include the full Friends Life Tour of Britain experience, complete with finish straight, gantry and podium, plus neutral service support from Specialized, full stocked feed stations on route and a goody bag and Friends Life Tour Ride medal to all finishers.

To enter, head to www.tourride.co.uk.