Mark Cavendish's retirement date reportedly set for November in Singapore

The most successful sprinter ever to lace a pair of cycling shoes, Mark Cavendish's legendary career reportedly has its end date set with a Tour de France criterium in Singapore on November 10th likely to be the final note in the 'Manx Missile's professional career.

This news comes from a report by Cycling Weekly, who state: "A deal has been struck for Mark Cavendish to appear at the Tour de France Singapore Criterium... While the Singapore event is largely ceremonial, it will be Cavendish’s last race in the colours of Astana Qazaqstan as a professional rider."

Every year, the Tour de France's organiser ASO, traditionally set up a few criteriums in Asia and this year is of course no different. On the 10th of November, Cavendish will present in Singapore and whilst this is currently set for the career end of the Astana Qazaqstan Team sprinter, Cycling Weekly reports that there are still talks ongoing for the Manx Missile to appear in Japan if and when a Criterium in the nation is confirmed.

"I’ve been very, very lucky to have the career I’ve had, to work with people I’ve had, to meet the people I have, and to have been able to live a dream, everyone’s dream," Cavendish reflected on his career after finishing his final Tour de France in Nice. "You see the successes, the photos and videos of wins, but it’s very rare that people see everything that goes on behind, everything that makes that. It [cycling] has taught me a lot about myself, how to be a father, and that’s the biggest thing I’ll take from the sport."

At the most recent Tour de France, Cavendish of course overtook the great Eddy Merckx for the most stage wins in the long and storied history of cycling's most famous race. Unless any more wins are added between now and his career finale, Cavendish will finish off with 165 professional wins, the most of any sprinter ever.