Mark Cavendish has announced his retirement from professional cycling, ending his career at the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore this weekend.
Cavendish was initially set to retire in 2023 but postponed that after crashing in that year’s Tour de France. He went on to win his 35th stage at the Tour de France last summer, surpassing Eddy Merckx’s record.
“Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career,” Cavendish said. “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.
“Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport, l’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.
“Thank you, everyone, for all the support, always.”
The Manx rider has won 165 races in his career including the 2011 world road title, while he claimed Olympic silver for Great Britain in the omnium at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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Record Tour de France stage winner Cavendish discusses the proudest moments of his career
While collecting his knighthood in October, Cavendish reiterated that he will not compete in the Tour de France again, saying: “That’s public knowledge, I won’t do another Tour de France.”
He added of his career: “I am very fortunate to have got to do what I love for so many years, and to see other people inspired by that and riding bikes themselves.
“Seeing how many people ride bikes now, seeing the growth of cycling in this country now and seeing how successful we’ve become at it… it’s incredibly rewarding to be part of that.
“It wonderful. I’m just a lad from the Isle of Man, to be a Knight Commander, that’s not something I could ever have dreamed of.”