Mark Cavendish ended his illustrious career with a “typical” ride in the final stage of the Tour de France in Nice on Sunday, his last race before retirement.

After breaking the stage win record he shared with Eddy Merckx on stage 5 at Saint Vurba and completing stage 21, Cavendish celebrated his legendary career with a podium ceremony.

To the delight of his Dutch fans, it was announced that Cavendish will compete in the criteriums in Charm on Wednesday, July 24 and in Heerlen on Friday, July 26.

“This is great for us and for the spectators who will soon be coming to Heerlen. Thanks to Jos van de Mortel. Without him, the deal with Cavendish would never have been a success,” revealed organizer Chris Dykstra, who praised Van de Mortel, owner of the Team Park Hotel Valkenburg, for helping with the entry fee.

“Cavendish won the sprint on July 3, reaching the legendary number of 35 Tour victories. But he won 17 stages in the Giro d'Italia and three stages in the Tour of Spain; he is a truly great cyclist who also competed in Heerlen in 2008.”

On the start line in Heerlen will be Dutch Astana-Kazakstan teammate Cees Boll and Frank van den Broeck, who finished 1-2 in the DSM-Filmenig Post NL with Romain Bardet on the opening stage of the Tour.

The criterium was held in Boxmeer and Aalst on the Monday after the Tour ended, with stage winners Dylan Groenewegen and Victor Kampenaerts “winning” the race.

The event functions more as an exhibition for the public to enjoy than an actual race, and far from being official UCI, the Tour jersey winners run in their famous jerseys, often with a “win” and entry fee.

July 22, Boxmeer: 1 Dylan Groenewegen, 2 Mike Tunissen, 3 Wout Poels

July 22, Aalst: 1 Victor Kampenaerts, 2 Jasper Philipsen, 3 Biniam Girmay

July 23, Sulchsterfehn: 1 Tadei Pogachar, 2 Yasper Philipsen, 3 Wout Poels

July 23, Roselare: 1 Mathieu van der Pol, 2 Biniam Guillemay, 3 Gianni Vermeers

July 24, Charm: 1 Mark Cavendish, 2 Biniam Girmay, 3 Olaf Kooij

July 25, Waterington: 1 Jasper Philipsen, 2 Frank van den Broeck, 3 Marijn van den Bergh

July 25, Herentals: 1 Biniam Girmay, 2 Mark Cavendish, 3 Arnaud de Lier

July 26, Herentals: 1 Mark Cavendish, 2 Bauke Mollema, 3 Frank van den Broeck

July 27, Maalhiese: 1 Mike Teunissen, 2 Cees Bol, 3 Danny van Poppel

July 28, Emmen: 1 Bauke Mollema, 2 Elmar Reinders, 3 Dylan Groenewegen

July 29, Rosendahl: Binium Girmay, Bauke Mollema, Dylan Groenewegen