Mark Cavendish outlines plan to "stay in cycling forever" amidst rumours of Tour de France return in 2025
Cycling
The most successful sprinter in cycling history, Mark Cavendish has twice officially announced his retirement from the peloton. Having reversed his decision in 2023 and returned in 2024 though, rumours are growing that the 'Manx Missile' could come back again in 2025.
Given the very sprinter friendly parcours of the 2025 Tour de France, speculation is building and the rumour mill is swirling that the 35-time Tour stage winner might be back at the Grand Tour next year. Currently in Japan for the Saitama Criterium, the 39-year-old took a moment to speak about his plans for the future.
Asked if he could ever foresee a career away from cycling, Cavendish was clear in his answer. “I don't think so… you never know," the Astana Qazaqstan Team sprinter says in quotes collected by Cycling Weekly. "It's what I know, have success in, it's what I have the network in, it is what I love more than anything. So of course, I'd want to stay in cycling forever."
The question everyone wants to know the answer too though, is whether or not 'staying in cycling forever' means another campaign in the hustle and bustle of the professional peloton in 2025. "It's quite a contrast to this year. Whereas this year was pretty flat days or really mountainous, [next year] is kind of squashed out so that the mountainous days aren't as shocking as last year. The profile's a lot more, I guess, 'medium' profile," he says of the course from Saitama, Japan. "It'll still be the same people winning though," he adds with a laugh.
Nevertheless, regardless of what occurs in the future, Cavendish is intent on enjoying himself whilst in the 'Land of the Rising Sun'. "I think it's important for riders to give back to sport and to help the sport grow by doing that. And it's nice, of course. Japan is still such a different culture," he concludes. "There's not many places left in the world that are so different in culture that you really experience something new."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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