Mark Cavendish’s announcement that he will retire after the 2023 season was one of the most emotional and contrasting days of the Manxman’s whole career. There was no adrenaline-fueled rush to the line, no celebrations and podium ceremonies, just the real emotions of him realising and revealing that his career is about to end.
After 25 years dedicated to racing, sprinting and winning, Cavendish has admitted that even he, so often and for so long unbeatable in sprints, has to turn the page and start a new chapter in his life.
“When you understand it’s not forever, it’s easier to enjoy every feeling this sport has to offer,” Cavendish admitted.
Fortunately, he has his loving wife Peta and young family to help him make the transition to a life without sprinting adrenaline and sporting ambition. It should be a fun ride for all of them. Cavendish will fully realise there’s more to life than bike racing, and Peta and his children will get to spend more quality time with their father. It will surely become the best moment of his life.
Cavendish apparently made the decision to retire in 2023 a few weeks ago but now it is public knowledge. There can surely be no turning back, no second thoughts, no temptation to go on for one more year, to chase one more sprint win. The end of his 17-year professional career is confirmed, with perhaps the final stage of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées or the Tour of Britain will be the final day of racing and his final sprint.
I’ve followed and reported on much of Cavendish’s professional career for Cycling Weekly and then Cyclingnews.com. There have been highs and lows, emotions and arguments but Cavendish’s career has been a hell of a journey. I feel privileged to have witnessed so much of it.
It was fascinating to see Cavendish transform from what he himself described as a ‘fat banker’ from the Isle of Man into a successful pro cyclist in the Great Britain Academy under Rod Ellingworth’s discipline and encouragement, to then see him emerge at the Tour of Britain in 2005 and 2006 with T-Mobile, a cheeky Manx kid showing his speed and hunger for success against far older rivals.
His 2007 Tour de France debut in London was another step up and fueled his dreams of winning sprints in the biggest race in the world. He went on to win 34 of them, often taking three or four per Tour in his peak years between 2009 and 2012, dominating the first part of the Tour like few had done before him. Winning…
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