“I couldn’t have asked for a better ending”

Guillaume Marion, Media365, published on Monday November 11, 2024 at 2:50 p.m.

Sunday, after participating in (and winning) one last race, during the Singapore Criterium, Mark Cavendish was understandably very emotional when it came time to hang it up once and for all.

It couldn’t be otherwise. In fact, on Sunday, Mark Cavendish competed in his last race at the Singapore Critérium… and the sprinter from Astana Qazaqstan won at the finish ahead of two Belgiansnamely Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny). At 39, the Briton can therefore retire with a feeling of accomplishment, he who holds the record for the number of victories in the Tour de France (35, one more than Eddy Merckx). Obviously, the native of the Isle of Man was quickly overtaken by his emotions after this latest symbolic success. “It’s quite moving. In the last laps I realized that these are the last 15 kilometers of my career. But I was so on the limit. (…) I haven’t raced since the Tour de France, so I miss the rhythm and liveliness of competition. But my teammates did a great job », explained Cavendish in particular.

Cavendish looks forward to “facing new challenges”

“I will do everything I can to help cycling progress. This won’t stop, even now that my cycling career is over. I am very excited to see what the future holds for me and to face new challenges. I was quite nervous about falling, as I really wanted to finish my last race. I’m so proud to win it. I have always loved this sport, and in particular the Tour de France. It is the biggest sporting event in the world. Children and adults dream of participating. JI couldn’t have asked for a better ending, here in Singapore, with an incredible crowd, an incredible race, an incredible group of athletesCavendish subsequently declared, in comments taken up by Cyclism’Actu. (…) I hope everyone enjoyed it. » Now it’s time for a well-deserved retirement for one of the best sprinters of the 21st century.