Mark Cavendish, one of Britain’s most successful Tour de France and Olympic Games cyclists, has shared horrifying details of being held at knife-point in front of his wife and child as intruders into his home demanded he hand over ultra-luxury timepieces by Richard Mille.
His testimony came in the trial of Romario Henry, 31, and Olundewa Okorosobo, 28, who are accused of the robbery in November, 2021.
Three other suspects were allegedly involved in the crime, one of whom has handed himself in, the other two remain at large.
The gang appeared to have knowledge of watches owned by Mr Cavendish and his wife, Peta, and fled the scene with two Richard Mille timepieces valued at £700,000 — one an ultra-rare limited edition, the other a unique diamond-encrusted piece owned by his wife.
Counsel for Mr Henry also suggested the gang might have been looking for a Richard Mille made from blue sapphire, which he had been lent by the brand for the GQ Awards.
Edward Renvoize, attorney for the prosecution, told a court in Chelmsford that the robbers were armed with large knives, had concealed their identity with balaclavas and meted out violence to Mark Cavendish.
“It’s quite clear the assailants were interested in obtaining watches and once they got the watches they left the premises with very little else,” Mr Renvoize said on the opening day of the trial last week.
The ordeal for the Cavendish family was described in terrifying detail as the gang threatened them with large knives, demanded all mobile phones from them, and attacked Mr Cavendish for triggering an alarm.
Mr Renvoize told the court that the raid was a “well-orchestrated and well-executed planned invasion of the home of a well-known individual with the intention of grabbing high-value timepieces”.
The trial is expected to take two weeks.
Mr Cavendish is not an official brand ambassador for Richard Mille, but is certainly a fan of the watchmaker, and the feeling seems to be reciprocated.
During 2016’s Tour de France, the brand’s eponymous owner Richard Mille met with Mr Cavendish and handed him the wristwatch he was wearing, an RM-011 Felipe Massa 10th Anniversary Limited Edition.
He has since been seen wearing Richard Mille watches both on and off his racing bike.
