Mark Cavendish turned 25 on Stage 6 of this year’s Amgen Tour of California and to celebrate, Team HTC-Columbia eyewear sponsors Oakley presented him with their 25th Time Bomb II watch.
But the limited edition numbered timepiece wasn’t just for the sprinter’s birthday, it was also to commemorate his 25 ProTour wins from last season. Oakley vice president of marketing Pat McIlvain presented him with the gift during Saturday’s time trial.
The watch is part of Oakley's 'Elite Collection'. It features a 25-jewel auto-mechanical movement that doesn’t require batteries or winding. The case and bracelet is forged from titanium, and it sports a carbon fibre face. It is currently selling for US$2,750 and sales are limited to one per customer.
“I’m really, really happy with the relationship I have with the guys at Oakley,” Cavendish told BikeRadar. “They make cool stuff and I’m happy to get it.” The Time Bomb II is the latest addition to Cavendish's ever-growing collection of watches.
“I’ve got hard-to-get Rolexes and hard-to-get U-Boats," he said. "I have a hard-to-get Oakley now, which is really good. They all mean different things to me. I don’t wear most of them, but I get them out and look at them a lot.”