- England lose three quick wickets in reply to New Zealand's 348
- Social media companies slam Australia's under-16 ban
- Canada watchdog sues Google over 'anti-competitive' ad tech
- Hojlund gives Amorim winning Old Trafford bow, Roma hold Spurs
- Amorim wins first Man Utd home game after rollercoaster ride
- France arrests 26 as South Asian migrant trafficking ring smashed
- At least 15 dead, 113 missing, in Uganda landslides
- Netanyahu threatens 'intensive war' if Hezbollah breaches fragile truce
- Bilbao join Lazio at Europa League summit, Chelsea cruise in Conference League
- In Lebanon's Tyre returning residents find no water, little power
- Biden slams Trump tariff threats as 'counterproductive'
- TikTok tactics shake up politics in Romania
- 'He should do comedy' says Norris of Verstappen comments
- Americans celebrate Thanksgiving after bitter election
- Flood-hit Spain introduces 'climate leave' for workers
- UK's Starmer vows to slash net migration
- Recount order, TikTok claims throw Romania election into chaos
- Bottas set for Mercedes return as Mick Schumacher quits reserve role
- Putin threatens Kyiv with new hypersonic missile
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- Guardiola's ingenuity will solve Man City crisis, says Slot
- 'Nothing left': Flood-hit Spanish town struggles one month on
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- Farrell backs youngster Prendergast at fly-half for Aussie Test
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- Zelensky slams Russia's 'despicable' use of cluster munitions in energy strikes
- One dead, thousands displaced as floods hit southern Thailand
- Lebanon army deploys under Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
- Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi emerges as Pakistan protest figure
Cycling great Cavendish announces retirement
Cycling great Mark Cavendish announced his retirement from the sport on Saturday, writing on social media that his final race will be Sunday's Tour de France Singapore Criterium.
"Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career," wrote the 39-year-old British sprint legend, the record stage winner on the Tour de France with 35, in a post on Instagram.
"Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I've always wanted to make a difference in it and now I am ready to see what the next chapter has in store for me."
Cavendish made Tour de France history last July when he eclipsed Eddy Merckx's record which had stood since 1975, having matched the Belgian's mark in 2021.
"I am lucky enough to have done what I love for almost 20 years and I can now say that I have achieved everything that I can on the bike," the rider from the Isle of Man said.
"I love this sport I always have loved this sport I want to make a difference on the bike I always have wanted to make a difference in it that will not change whether I'm on the bike or not."
Cavendish made his Tour de France debut in 2008 before becoming world road race champion three years later. He won an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.
Since turning professional in 2005 he had won 165 races, including 17 stages in the Giro d'Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana.
Last month, he had said that he "will see" about racing in next year's Tour de France, explaining that he "saw things a bit differently" despite previously vowing not to compete in it again.
He refused to discuss his retirement after finishing third at the Saitama Criterium in Japan last weekend.
"I'd rather not talk about my future," he told reporters, shortly after defending Singapore Criterium race champion Jasper Philipsen suggested that the Manxman would be calling it quits after the race.
Cavendish finished second behind Philipsen in last year's race and the Belgian said the Briton would pose the biggest challenge to his title defence in Singapore.
"It's always difficult to repeat and definitely with this being Mark's last race, I think he's very motivated as well to show off his amazing career that he had for the last time here in Singapore,” said the 26-year-old, ahead of Cavendish's own announcement.
"So it will be a tough, tough competition I think."
The race will feature 36 cyclists from nine teams including four-time Tour de France champions Chris Froome of Britain, four-time Vuelta Espana Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, and rising Eritrean star Biniam Girmay, who beat Roglic and Cavendish to win last week's Criterium in Saitama.
They will complete 25 laps of the 2.3-kilometre circuit in Singapore's historic Civic District.
X.M.Francisco--PC