The 39-year-old Briton clinched his 166th career win after crossing the line of the 25-lap 2.3-kilometer (km) course in the Singapore Criterium. Cavendish wore the number 35, symbolising his record for Tour de France stage wins.

Cavendish, the world’s most decorated Sprinter, announced his retirement last year before reversing that decision and breaking the all-time record for most stage wins at the Tour de France during this year’s race.

“I’m quite emotional,” Cavendish said. “I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15km of my career.”

The Briton won an individual silver medal on the track at the 2016 Rio Olympics and claimed three world titles in the Madison discipline.

Cavendish’s career victories included the 35 Tour de France stage wins one more than Eddy Merckx plus 17 Giro d’Italia stage wins and three in the Vuelta a Espana. He also claimed the 2011 road world title and was knighted in October.

--SABC/Reuters--