This is definitely last Tour de France - Cavendish

Mark Cavendish delayed his retirement to pursue the outright record for Tour de France stage wins

Legendary British cyclist Mark Cavendish says this year's Tour de France was the last of his illustrious career.

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.

"It’s definitely my last Tour de France, that’s for sure. It’s my 15th one, and it’s given me the most incredible memories," Cavendish, 39, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It has taught me a lot about life actually - resilience, victory and defeat.

"I'd already said last year was my last. Obviously I had a crash out. And it was just about completing the fairy tale, and I was fortunate to get to do that."

Speaking shortly after Sunday's final stage Cavendish said it was "likely" to be the final race of his career.

The 39-year-old is the Tour de France's greatest sprinter and has twice won the green points classification jersey, in 2011 and 2021.

Cavendish 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, 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."

Cavendish the greatest sprinter of all time?

Cavendish, who won his first Tour de France stage in 2008, has enjoyed a glittering career as a sprinter, taking victories on the flatter, faster stages of races, particularly in the Grand Tours.

He has won 165 races since 2005 and the points classification at all three Grand Tours.

Cavendish's other major achievements include an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2011 Road World Championships rainbow jersey, the 2009 Milan-San Remo 'monument' one-day classic, 17 stage wins in the Giro d'Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana.

He also won three world track titles in the madison and gold in the scratch race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, representing the Isle of Man.

Having not won at the Tour since 2018, Cavendish first hinted at retirement at the end of the 2020 season but returned to form the following year - winning four Tour stages and the green jersey in his second spell with the successful Quick-Step team.

Cavendish and his family were the victims of a violent robbery at their home in 2021.

After all his setbacks, he surpassed Merckx with a sensational sprint to blast past his rivals in Saint Vulbas.

Reacting to Cavendish's historic win, former team-mate and good friend Geraint Thomas said: "It's unbelievable, I am super happy for him. It is great he has the record alone and is not sharing it with anyone."

Although Cavendish was not able to win another stage, he successfully made the time cut throughout the mountain stages to ensure he completed the Tour for the eighth time in his 15 appearances.

"You’re going to go down as the greatest of all time," said 2012 Tour winner and five-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins in a video message to Cavendish.

"There are not many GOATs in the world but you are certainly one of them and I’m so happy for you and the family."

Four-time Tour winner Chris Froome added: "Congratulations on an amazing career, you’ve inspired so many people, including myself."