Mark Cavendish, one of the most successful and celebrated cyclists in history, is ready to say goodbye to the professional peloton. The 39-year-old British rider will make his final appearance in competition during the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium on November 10, 2024. This non-UCI event will mark the end of a nearly two-decade-long career that left an indelible mark on world cycling. Cavendish, who has shattered records and pushed the limits of sprinting, will face top names like Biniam Girmay and Jasper Philipsen in his last race.
With a total of 165 career victories, Cavendish has been an unstoppable force in road and track cycling competitions. This summer, he achieved a historic milestone by surpassing Eddy Merckx’s record for most stage wins in the Tour de France, reaching 35 victories with his triumph in stage five of the 2024 edition in Saint-Vulbas. Throughout his career, he also twice claimed the Tour’s green jersey for the points classification, cementing his status as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.
[Follow SportsIn on Instagram for more stories!]
In addition to his success on the road, Cavendish has made a significant impact in track cycling. He competed in three Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the omnium at Rio 2016. At the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, he earned three gold medals, all in the Madison event (2005, 2008, and 2016), and was named a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011 for his sporting achievements. Despite challenges throughout his career, including mental health struggles and the rise of a new generation of sprinters, Cavendish has shown admirable resilience.
His career began in 2005 with Team Sparkasse, then progressed to T-Mobile, and eventually, he stood out at HTC-Columbia, where he broke every possible sprint record. Despite tough moments with Dimension Data and Bahrain Merida, he made a comeback with Astana Qazaqstan in 2024, where he finally broke Merckx’s Tour de France stage win record.
Cavendish’s farewell marks the end of an era in cycling, and his legacy—both for his victories and competitive spirit—will remain etched in the history of the sport. As he said after receiving the title of Knight Commander in the UK, “I’m just a kid from the Isle of Man, being a Knight Commander is something I could have never dreamed of”.
