SIR MARK CAVENDISH claimed victory in his final race as a professional cyclist yesterday.

The 39-year-old produced a trademark sprint finish to cross the line first in the Tour de France Singapore Criterium.

Cavendish’s fellow competitors gave him a guard of honour ahead of the race and the Manxman was understandably emotional at the end.

Speaking to Eurosport through tears he said: “I realised in the last five laps it was the last 15 kilometres of my career. I passed the flamme rouge for the last time in my career and I felt that.

“I didn’t race since the Tour de France so I missed that sharpness and, when the guys are here with the lead-out teams, it was always going to be difficult, but you see the amazing job that my team, Astana Kazakhstan, did leading me out, I had to go.

“I could feel the lead coming, and when I passed Jasper [Philipsen] I could feel him speed up, but I really wanted that so bad. I’m so proud to win [this event] as my last professional race.”