Cyclist Cavendish to RETIRE this year
Mark Cavendish, who has won 34 stages in the Tour de France, will retire at the end of the 2023 season.
The 38-year-old from the Isle of Man is currently competing in the Giro d’Italia but could win his 35th Tour de France stage later this year in a feat which would see him surpass a record he jointly holds with Eddy Merckx.
“Cycling has been my life for over 25 years,” he said.
“It’s taught me so much about life, dedication, loyalty, sacrifice and perseverance – all important things to pass on now as a father.
“The bike’s given me opportunities to see the world, meet incredible people who are involved and not involved in the sport – a lot of whom I call friends.
“Today it’s my son Casper’s fifth birthday; it’s a rest day and I can spend that with them now. Now it’s important to be there for every birthday, every school concert – important I can be there for them.”
Performance director at British Cycling Stephen Park said: “On behalf of British Cycling, I would like to congratulate Mark on a truly outstanding career.
“Cav is without doubt the sport’s greatest sprinter and will be remembered by fans across the world for his 53 grand tour stage wins, and I’m sure that we will all be cheering him on as he looks to add to that total in his final months of racing.
“From a Great Britain Cycling Team perspective, we have seen him win rainbow jerseys on both the road and the track, a silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games, and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year title in 2011.
“What most stands out in Cav as a sportsperson is the overwhelming sense of pride he showed each time he pulled on both the Great Britain Cycling Team and British national champion’s jerseys – a quality we want to instil in every single member of our team.
“Professional and passionate, Cav has been a real asset to our team over the years and will be remembered as both a peerless rider and a fantastic teammate with time for everyone. We wish him the very best of luck both for the rest of his final season in the peloton and in the next stage of his career.”