‘That’s perhaps the last race of my career’: Mark Cavendish emotional after finish at Ghent-Wevelgem

The Manxman spent the day in the break before being overcome with emotion after the finish
Jonny Long

Mark Cavendish believes he may have raced the last race of his career at Ghent-Wevelgem.

The Manxman was emotional after the finish, managing to say a few words to Sporza as he tried to hold it together.

Stopping in the mixed zone, Cavendish nods his head in response to being asked how tough the race was, having been out front in the breakaway for the majority of the day.

The reporter then says to Cavendish he can see he’s getting emotional, with Cavendish then taking off his glasses to respond.

“That’s perhaps the last race of my career that, I’m a bit…” he replies, his voice breaking up.

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The reporter then asks if Cavendish really thinks it’s the last race of his career.

“Maybe, yeah…” comes the response as Cavendish starts to tear up before riding away.

Contracts talks with Bahrain-McLaren are still ongoing, team boss Rod Ellingworth told Cycling News yesterday, who said he expects Cavendish to continue racing into 2021.

The 35-year-old is also expected to line up at Schelderprijs on Wednesday, but his latest comments make both his appearance at that race or any other future one uncertain.

The sprinter has won 30 stages of the Tour de France in his career, the second-highest tally behind Eddy Merckx, having become world champion in 2011 and won Milan – San Remo as well as 15 stages of the Giro d’Italia.

His last win, however, came at the Dubai Tour in February 2018, Cavendish having struggled for form while suffering from the Epstein-Barr virus.

Having signed a one-year contract with Bahrain-McLaren at the start of the 2020 season, which has been derailed by the coronavirus pandemic, Cavendish has continued to struggle for results, his best being 12th on the second stage of the Tour of Poland.