'Emotional' farewell: Mark Cavendish wins final race in Singapore before retirement

Mark Cavendish has bowed out of his record-breaking career as a winner, ITV News' Anna Geary reports

British cyclist Sir Mark Cavendish has said he "couldn't have wished for a better send-off" after winning his final race at the Singapore Criterium on Sunday.

Cavendish, from the Isle of Man, said he was "so emotional" and "grateful" after producing a trademark finish to cross the line first in the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, securing his 166th victory.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better send-off than here. To have my wife and my friends here is brilliant. I’m so emotional, I’m so grateful and I hope everyone enjoyed that," He told Europort on Sunday.

He was congratulated by fellow riders and kissed his wife, Peta, after winning the race. Ahead of the race, Cavendish’s competitors also gave him a guard of honour.

A teary-eyed Cavendish said: "I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15 kilometres of my career. I passed the flamme rouge (indicating one kilometre to go) for the last time in my career and I felt that.

“I didn’t race since the Tour de France so I missed that sharpness and, when the guys are here with the lead-out teams, it was always going to be difficult.

“I had to let Jasper (Philipsen) and Biniam (Girmay) in in the final lap, I was nervous about crashing or something if I fight. I really wanted to finish at least my last race.

“I could feel the lead coming, and when I passed Jasper I could feel him speed up, but I really wanted that so bad. I’m so proud to win the Tour de France Prudential Criterium as my last professional race.”

In July, Cavendish broke the Tour de France record for stage wins with his 35th victory.

This is Cavendish's last race. Credit: AP

He announced his retirement in an Instagram post, saying “my racing career… completed it".

He added: "Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career."

What retirement holds for Cavendish remains to be seen, though it seems he has no plans to stay away from cycling for long.

"I love this sport, I’ve always loved this sport, especially the Tour de France,” he said after his final victory... isn’t just a bike race... It’s what children dream of, it’s what adults dream of, it’s what you pretend to do when you’re out training.

“Cycling’s such a form of freedom, it’s a way to meet people, it’s a way to be alone with your thoughts, it’s a way to be however you want to be.

“That won’t stop, even if I’m not riding a bike any more. In fact I might be able to put more into that now. I’m really looking forward to what the rest of my career holds, just not on the bike."

Cavendish was teary eyed during his interview with Eurosport. Credit: Eurosport

The 39-year-old received his knighthood from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle on October 2 and said: “It will be really nice to race as a Knight Commander."

Since turning professional in 2005, Cavendish has won 165 races, including 17 stages in the cycling race Giro d'Italia and three in the Vuelta a España.

He also won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and Commonwealth Scratch gold in 2006 for the Isle of Man and is a three-time Madison world champion on the track.

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