Mark Cavendish has indicated that his professional career is not yet over, leaving open the possibility of a return to the Tour de France in 2025.

Mark Cavendish, 39, won his 35th stage victory at this year's Tour de France, the most in history, but has indicated that he will not compete in the Tour again.

Tour de France organizer ASO announced that the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium on November 10 will be Cavendish's last race, when the 2025 Tour de France route was announced in Paris on Tuesday, The Manxman seemed to suggest that he was having second thoughts. It is also possible that the agreement with ASO was a ploy to attract attention before announcing his retirement in Singapore.

“Like anyone who has ridden the Tour de France or the Tour de France Femme, you finish and think, ‘I'm never doing this again.’

Cavendish, who will turn 40 next July and is seeking his 36th stage win, refused to confirm that his racing career, or his presence in the Tour de France, was over when asked how he would calculate it.

“Well, we'll see. ......” He replied with a smile.

Cavendish had not raced since completing the 2024 Tour de France in July and had only raced a few post-Tour criteriums.

The Tour de France criteriums in Saitama, Japan, and Singapore may be his last and a fitting farewell to the Tour de France theme. But Cavendish still loves racing and may decide to keep racing, just as he did after his fall in the 2023 Tour de France.

Cavendish is expected to play some role in the Astana Kazakstan team, which has secured new funding from Chinese carbon fiber manufacturer XDS Carbon-Tech, the team's majority shareholder and sponsor. Team manager Alexander Vinokurov has signed 12 riders for 2025, and the team is trying to earn enough ranking points to remain in the World Tour or at least secure an automatic invitation to the Grand Tour and World Tour one-day races.

He is currently enjoying time with his family instead of the pressures of professional athlete life.

“Life is great. I ride my bike and spend time with my kids. I just don't shout as loud in races anymore,” he said at the announcement of the Tour de France route.

“I've been traveling, I've been busy. I just got back from a vacation with my kids. For the first time I was able to enjoy a vacation.

Cavendish and other big-name riders will travel from Paris to Saitama. Cycling News' Australian editor Simone Giuliani will be at the criterium to provide news and feature interviews from the final event of the 2024 season.