The most successful sprinter in cycling history, Mark Cavendish wrapped up his career with a win at the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday, November 10.
Cavendish said on Saturday, November 9 that “Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career” through his Instagram account.
As per BBC Sports, the 39-year-old player, racing for Astana-Qazaqstan, donned the number 35 to celebrate his record of stage wins in the Tour de France.
Before the race, he signed autographs and also took selfies with fans.
At the start line, he was presented with a ‘wheel of honour,’ a tribute where other riders balanced their bikes on one wheel and spun the other before beginning the race, which consisted of 25 laps on a 2.3km course.
After the race, with tears in his eyes, he said, "I'm quite emotional I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15km of my career.”
He went on to share, “I was nervous about crashing or something if I fight [for the lead]. I really wanted that so bad. I've always loved this sport."
Cavendish continued, “Cycling is such a form of freedom. It's a way to meet people; it's a way to be alone with your thoughts. It has so much potential as a sport, a mode of transport, a pastime.”
"I'm looking forward to what the rest of my career holds. I couldn't have wished for a better send-off. I'm so grateful. I hope everyone enjoyed that,” the player added.
He began his professional career on the road in 2005 in a feeder team for T-Mobile.
Cavendish is widely considered as one of the greatest road sprinters of all time. He won his first Tour stage in 2008 for Team Columbia.
He also broke the record for most Tour de France stage wins with win in Saint Vulbas in July.
