Mark Cavendish will fully devote himself to cycling, despite winning retirement at Singapore Criterium: "That will not stop, not even now that my cycling career has ended"

Mark Cavendish has raced for the final time as an Astana Qazaqstan Team rider and professional cyclist today at the exhibition event in Singapore organized by the Tour de France. The Manx Missile will no longer be a part of the peloton but he assured he will remain close to it.

“It’s quite emotional. In the last laps I realized: these are the last fifteen kilometers of my career. But I was so close to my limit," Cavendish said in a post-race interivew. "The heat here… I haven’t raced since the Tour de France and so I lack race rhythm and sharpness. But my teammates did a great job.”

It was an exhibition race and the fully logical assumption was that the veteran would win today, as was the case with Biniam Girmay last week in Japan for the other Tour de France-organized event. The organizers are bringing stars to Asia to increase the exposure of the sport, and ultimately that's what Cavendish will also be doing from next season onward:

“Cycling also gives you a lot of freedom. It’s a way to meet people and express yourself. It has so much potential. I will do everything I can to help the sport move forward. That will not stop, not even now that my cycling career has ended. I am very much looking forward to the future and new challenges," he explains.

He should become a brand ambassador, perhaps collaborate with the Astana team or even become a collaborator with the Tour itself taking into consideration his status. “I was quite nervous about crashing, because I really wanted to finish my last race. I’m so proud to win my last race. I’ve always loved this sport, and especially the Tour de France. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world. Children and adults dream of taking part in it.”