Mark Cavendish calls time on decorated cycling career

Cycling great Mark Cavendish announced his retirement from the sport on Saturday, writing on social media that his final race will be Sunday's Tour de France Singapore Criterium.

"Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career," wrote the 39-year-old British sprint legend, the record stage winner on the Tour de France with 35, in a post on Instagram.

"Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I've always wanted to make a difference in it and now I am ready to see what the next chapter has in store for me."

Cavendish made Tour de France history last July when he eclipsed Eddy Merckx's record which had stood since 1975, having matched the Belgian's mark in 2021.

"I am lucky enough to have done what I love for almost 20 years and I can now say that I have achieved everything that I can on the bike," the rider from the Isle of Man said.

"I love this sport. I always have loved this sport. I want to make a difference on the bike. I always have wanted to make a difference in it that will not change whether I'm on the bike or not."

Cavendish made his Tour de France debut in 2008 before becoming world road race champion three years later. He won an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.

Since turning professional in 2005 he had won 165 races, including 17 stages in the Giro d'Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana.

Last month, he had said that he "will see" about racing in next year's Tour de France, explaining that he "saw things a bit differently" despite previously vowing not to compete in it again.

He refused to discuss his retirement after finishing third at the Saitama Criterium in Japan last weekend.

"I'd rather not talk about my future," he told reporters, shortly after defending Singapore Criterium race champion Jasper Philipsen suggested that the Manxman would be calling it quits after the race.

Cavendish finished second behind Philipsen in last year's race and the Belgian said the Briton would pose the biggest challenge to his title defence in Singapore.

"It's always difficult to repeat and definitely with this being Mark's last race, I think he's very motivated as well to show off his amazing career that he had for the last time here in Singapore,” said the 26-year-old, ahead of Cavendish's own announcement.

"So it will be a tough, tough competition I think."

The race will feature 36 cyclists from nine teams including four-time Tour de France champions Chris Froome of Britain, four-time Vuelta Espana Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, and rising Eritrean star Biniam Girmay, who beat Roglic and Cavendish to win last week's Criterium in Saitama.

They will complete 25 laps of the 2.3-kilometre circuit in Singapore's historic Civic District.

AFP