Britain's Mark Cavendish claimed a record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win at the Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Saint-Vulbas stage on Wednesday.
Coming off the wheel of Fabio Jakobsen to take the lead, Cavendish held off Jasper Philipsen to claim the historic victory in the fifth stage of this year's event which stretched for 177.5km.
The 39-year-old announced his retirement last year after crashing out of the Tour before changing his mind and extending his career for a final season with the Astana Qazaqstan team. His first stage win on the Tour de France came in 2008.
Cavendish had been level with cycling legend Eddy Merckx, a five-time overall Tour de France winner, on 34 stage wins. Merckx's record had stood since 1975.
"Honestly I'm tired. It's my 15th Tour de France and it takes a lot to get there every year," Cavendish, who had not won on the Tour since 2021, said.
"I'm getting old and I've got to get in shape every year and it's hard. But everyone has been involved, I've got a lot of support. My family came yesterday. Perfect timing."
For a rider who repeatedly said one stage win on the Tour can change your life, Cavendish could not be happier.
"Winning one stage can make a career and I've always felt the need to win one more, and another one after that."
The Manxman is one of Britain's most successful cyclists at multiple-disciplines, having twice won the sprinters' green jersey in the Tour de France -- his first in 2011 when he became the first Briton to do so -- along with an Olympic silver medal at Rio 2016, a world road race title, and three world titles on the track.
Cavendish was given a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours earlier in 2024, and with 165 career victories, is considered the most successful sprint cyclist of all time.
Cavendish's contract runs until the end of 2024, but he is yet to confirm his retirement at the end of the season.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar retained the overall leader's yellow jersey in this year's Tour after he just avoided crashing into a central reservation some 57km from the finish with several riders just behind him hitting the deck.
Cavendish will have the chance to extend his record on Thursday on the 163.5km stage from Macon to Dijon, which ends with an 800m straight.
Information from Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.