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Mark Cavendish has seemingly left the door open to continuing his cycling career in 2025.
The sprinter made history at his final Tour de France in July, surpassing Eddy Merckx with a record 35th stage win in Saint-Vulbas.
Having reversed a decision to retire at the end of 2023, it was thought that the Manxman would bid adieu to the peloton at the end of this year.
But while he has confirmed that his Tour career is over, the 39-year-old has hinted that he could return to the bike next year.
“I’m still racing for a couple of months, and I’m definitely not finished this year,” Cavendish told ITV during the final stage of the Tour of Britain. “I still don’t know what happens after.
“I know I won’t be doing the Tour de France again. I said that before the Tour and after. I’m just taking time with my family and really chilling.
“I’ve actually taken time off before getting going again, and I’m training again now. When I’ve had time to process, we’ll see what happens in the future.”
Asked if he would consider a return to home roads at the 2025 Tour of Britain, Cavendish added: “Perhaps. I don’t know.”
Cavendish was handed a one-year extension by Astana-Qazaqstan last year to allow him to chase Merckx’s record, with the Kazakh team sculpting their team around the veteran.
It took him until only the fifth stage to achieve his goal, allowing Cavendish to cruise around the rest of the race and come home as the lanterne rouge, the last place finisher after three weeks of racing.
“I’ve been very, very lucky to have the career I’ve had, to work with people I’ve had, to meet the people I have, and to have been able to live a dream, everyone’s dream,” Cavendish said after the Tour.
“You see the successes, the photos and videos of wins, but it’s very rare that people see everything that goes on behind, everything that makes that. It [cycling] has taught me a lot about myself, how to be a father, and that’s the biggest thing I’ll take from the sport.”
