Cavendish drops hint over future after winning final professional race
Mark Cavendish has vowed to stay involved in cycling after bringing down the curtain on his record-breaking career with a final win at the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium.
The Briton, who made history with a 35th stage win at the Tour de France earlier this year, was given a guard of honour by fellow riders before his farewell professional race and produced a trademark sprint finish to bow out in emotional fashion.
“I couldn’t have wished for a better send-off than here,” said a tearful Cavendish, 39.
“To have my wife and my friends here is brilliant. I’m so emotional, I’m so grateful and I hope everyone enjoyed that.
“I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15km of my career and I felt that. 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 at least finish 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 reveals plans for retirement
Cavendish retires with 55 stage wins and four points classification victories in the three Grand Tours, as well as success on the track in the form of three world titles, one Commonwealth gold and an Olympic silver medal.
“I love this sport, I’ve always loved this sport, especially the Tour de France,” he added.
“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. I truly believe this and I’ve always believed this and I try to do anything I can to help this move forward.
“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.”
