Legendary British cyclist Mark Cavendish says this year's Tour de France is likely to have been his last race.
The sprinter won a record 35th Tour de France stage in the first week of this year's edition, going one clear of Belgian Eddy Merckx's long-standing record - which Cavendish equalled in 2021.
Last year was supposed to be his 14th and final Tour, but he delayed his retirement and signed a contract extension with the Astana-Qazaqstan Team until the end of the 2024 season.
Asked after the final stage of this year's Tour if he had finished his final race Cavendish said "likely so, yes".
The British 39-year-old is the Tour de France's greatest sprinter and has also twice won the green points classification jersey.
"I've been very lucky to have the career that I've had," Cavendish told ITV4.
He had feared his career could be over, and battles with illness, injuries and depression contributed to him not winning once during 2019 and 2020.
Left out of the 2022 Tour and seemingly out of contract at the end of that year, he joined Astana at the last minute for 2023.
After suffering a race-ending crash on stage eight of the 2023 Tour, the 'Manx Missile' signed up for another season and secured his historic victory on stage five.
He then battled through several gruelling days in the mountains to be able to complete the race in Nice on Sunday.
Cavendish holds the record for the most wins - four in a row from 2009 to 2012 - on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the Tour's traditional finale since 1975.
But with the French capital preparing for the Olympics this year, Cavendish finished this year's race with a time trial in Nice - where he was able to acknowledge the crowd.
"My family was here waiting at the end for me, it was nice to see them while crossing the line with no pressure and just able to enjoy it," added Cavendish.
"You see the success but it's very rare people see everything that goes in behind it - it's taught me a lot about myself and taught me a lot about how to be a father.
"That's the biggest thing I take from this sport."
