'I have achieved everything that I can' - Mark Cavendish confirms retirement and final race

Sir Mark Cavendish has confirmed he will retire this Sunday at the Singapore Criterium.

The 39-year-old, who broke the all-time Tour de France stage win record this July, had previously left the door open to continuing in 2025, but will instead finish his career in Singapore.

Confirming his decision on Instagram, Cavendish wrote: “Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career. 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, 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.”

Mystery has surrounded the Brit’s future since he finished the Tour de France in July, the last race in which he competed. Asked last month at the Grand Tour’s route presentation for 2025 if he might be present again next year, he said: “We’ll see.” It is now clear he has raced his final Tour.

“Thank you, everyone, for all the support, always,” he continued in his Instagram post.

One of the original members of British Cycling’s 2004 academy, Cavendish began his road career in 2005, and made his Tour de France debut in 2007. He went on to win 35 stages of the Tour in a career spanning two decades, as well as 17 stages of the Giro d’Italia, a road world title, and two national titles.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly at the recent Saitama Criterium in Japan, Cavendish said he “want[s] to stay in cycling forever”.

“It’s what I know, have success in. It’s what I have the network in, it’s what I love more than anything,” he said.

Although concrete plans are yet to be revealed, the 39-year-old has also said he wants to work in management in sport. “I’ve set the wheels in motion for that,” he told Men’s Health. “I brought a lot of people to this team [Astana Qazaqstan] over the past two years, and I know what it takes to be successful. I’ve been building up to the moment I’m not racing.”

Cavendish also revealed that he has agreed to run the Paris Marathon next year with his brother.

The Singapore Criterium, organised by the Tour de France, will begin at 4pm local time (8am UK time) on Sunday. It will finish around 6pm (10am UK time), when Cavendish will turn the final pedal strokes of his professional career.