- Mark Cavendish was victorious in Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium
- The 39-year-old announced on Saturday it would be his last race after 19 years
British cycling legend Sir Mark Cavendish has bowed out in style after claiming victory in his final race before retirement.
The 39-year-old produced a trademark sprint finish to cross the line first in the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.
He announced on Saturday it would be his last race following an illustrious 19-year career in the sport.
Cavendish’s fellow competitors gave him a guard of honour ahead of the race and the Manxman was understandably emotional at the end.
Speaking to Eurosport through tears he said: ‘I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15 kilometres of my career. I passed the flamme rouge (indicating one kilometre to go) for the last time in my career and I felt that.
Sir Mark Cavendish was victorious in Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium
The 39-year-old announced on Saturday it would be his last race following a 19-year career
‘I didn’t race since the Tour de France so I missed that sharpness and, when the guys are here with the lead-out teams, it was always going to be difficult, but you see the amazing job that my team, Astana Kazakhstan, did leading me out, I had to go.
‘I had to let Jasper (Philipsen) and Biniam (Girmay) in in the final lap, I was nervous about crashing or something if I fight. I really wanted to finish at least my last race.
‘I could feel the lead coming, and when I passed Jasper I could feel him speed up, but I really wanted that so bad. I’m so proud to win the Tour de France Prudential Criterium as my last professional race.’
Cavendish has won an array of medals and earlier this year broke the all-time Tour de France stage wins record with 35, surpassing the total of Eddy Merckx.
He won his first Tour de France stage in 2008 and faced setbacks, such as when he was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus in 2018.
The winner of a record 35 Tour de France stages, Cavendish received a knighthood earlier this year.
Cavendish’s fellow competitors gave him a guard of honour ahead of the race in Singapore
In 2016, the Isle of Man cyclist won a silver medal for Team GB at the Rio Olympics.
What retirement holds remains to be seen, although it seems Cavendish is not planning to stay away from cycling for long.
‘I love this sport, I’ve always loved this sport, especially the Tour de France,’ he said.
‘The Tour de France isn’t just a bike race, it’s the biggest annual sporting event in the world. It’s what children dream of, it’s what adults dream of, it’s what you pretend to do when you’re out training.
‘Cycling’s such a form of freedom, it’s a way to meet people, it’s a way to be alone with your thoughts, it’s a way to be however you want to be.
‘It has so much potential as a sport, as a mode of transport, as a pastime, and I truly believe this and I’ve always believed this and I try and do anything I can to help this move forward.
An emotional Cavendish stated he is not planning to stay away from cycling for long
‘That won’t stop, even if I’m not riding a bike any more. In fact I might be able to put more into that now. I’m really looking forward to what the rest of my career holds, just not on the bike.
‘I couldn’t have wished for a better send-off than here. To have my wife and my friends here is brilliant. I’m so emotional, I’m so grateful and I hope everyone enjoyed that.’
