The Briton Mark Cavendish, world champion in 2011 and holder of the record for stage victories at the Tour de France (35), announced this Saturday that he would end his career after competing in a final criterium on Sunday in Singapore.
“Sunday will be the last race of my career in professional Cycling“, wrote the 39-year-old sprinter on his Instagram account, on the eve of the 3rd edition of this criterium stamped “Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium“.
“Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I always wanted to leave my mark and today I am ready to see what the next chapter (of my life) has in store for me.” added the Isle of Man rider.
Professional since 2005, Mark Cavendish has won 165 races, including the world championship in 2011. Last July, he also won his 35th stage at the Tour de France, breaking the record of the legendary Eddy Merckx16 years after his first victory on the Grande Boucle, in 2008.
The “Cav” also raised his arms 17 times in the Tour of Italy and three times in the Vuelta. He also has a Monument to his name, Milan-San Remo in 2009.
“I've been lucky enough to do what I love for almost 20 years and can now say I've accomplished everything I could do on a bike“, commented the current rider of the Astana team.
Sunday in Singapore, on a 2.3 km circuit to be completed 25 times, he will have the opportunity to measure himself one last time against the best contemporary sprinters, including the Belgian Jasper Philipsen and the Ethiopian Biniam Girmay.
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