Mark Cavendish finishes career on a flourish at Tour de France Singapore Criterium

SINGAPORE – It was a race ending that could not have been better scripted for British cycling legend Mark Cavendish, who brought the curtains down on his illustrious 19-year career by winning the Prudential Tour de France Singapore Criterium on Nov 10.

Just as unforgettable as his 166th victory was the guard of honour formed by the 39-year-old’s rivals before the start of the race at the Esplanade Park.

Balancing their bikes on the back wheels and spinning the front wheels in unison, they formed two rows as the “Manx Missile” cruised between them.

“That was incredible, super nice and actually, that was the first time I probably got emotional today. It was very unexpected and I am very, very touched by that,” said Cavendish, who collected a record 35th Tour de France stage victory this summer after delaying his plans to retire in 2023.

“It’s always difficult not to cry… I’m an emotional guy, you know, but I’m okay. I’ve known for a while that I’d stop.

“What an incredible day to share my last race with those riders, with the future of sprinting as next generation sprinters, to be able to race with them in a final race and to be able to beat them here in Singapore, I’m very happy and very emotional.”

The criterium route, which started and ended at Connaught Drive alongside Esplanade Park, spanned 2.3km as it also crossed the Singapore River.

At the start, the Singaporean team – comprising national road race champion Yeo Boon Kiak and runner-up Tong Khoon Fung, mountain bike XCO national champion Arfan Faisal, and national Under-23 road race champion Eamon Lim – pulled away after the third turn.

Soon, it was Cavendish’s turn to lead the peloton alongside his Astana Qazaqstan teammates.

Nearing the end of the 25-lap race, 2023 winner Jasper Philipsen had looked set to retain his title.

But Cavendish, who was just behind the Belgian as they entered the final bend, summoned a final sprint to pip Philipsen to the finish line by a hair’s breadth.

“I realised in the last five laps that this was the last 15km of my career and I felt that, but I was so much on the limit,” said Cavendish, who had time to glance back before raising his arms in triumph one last time, to deafening cheers from the crowd.

“I was nervous about crashing, or something like that... but I was lucky. I couldn’t have wished for a better send-off,” added the Briton, whose other achievements include the 2011 world road title and an omnium silver at the 2016 Olympics.

Philipsen, 26, said: “I feel a bit disappointed as I won last year and I couldn’t win this year. But I’m also really proud of what Mark Cavendish achieved and I think he is the deserved winner of the day.

“We wanted to give an honour as well for his amazing career. It is the end of an (era) and I can also be a tiny part of it, so that’s cool. What he has achieved is incredible and it’s really big in cycling.”

Another Belgian, Arnaud de Lie, 22, was third with Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay fourth. The highest-finishing Singaporean was Arfan in 20th place. In all, 45 of the 48 riders completed the race.

Girmay, 24, the first African to claim the Tour de France’s green jersey for most sprint points in 2024, said: “It was tough to be honest, it was a small circuit, so it’s not easy to break away.”

Belgian fan Brent Popelier said he was rooting for his compatriots, but was happy for Cavendish.

He said: “His career is incredible so I’m very happy for Mark and maybe next year a Belgian can win again.”