Mark Cavendish sprinted to his first victory since last May in the Giro d'Italia, edging past Fernando Gaviria in a fiercely contested finish to claim the fourth stage of Tour Colombia on Friday. 

The 38-year-old, who had announced his retirement at the end of the 2023 season only to decide on one more year in the saddle, demonstrated his unmatched sprinting prowess in Zipaquirá, thanks to a superb lead-out by his Astana teammates.

"I feel really happy, that was super nice, it was incredible work by my teammates in the final and the last sprint was incredible, Cavendish said, as reported by Cyclingnews. 

He lauded the collective effort that saw him and Gaviria rejoin the fray for the stage win. "The work from my boys, and from Movistar as well, to bring myself and Fernando [Gaviria] back into contention was incredible. I’m super, super happy with it."

This victory not only marks a high note in Cavendish's farewell year but also intensifies the anticipation for his performances in the upcoming races, especially with his sights set on a record-breaking 35th Tour de France stage win. He's currently tied with Eddy Merckx at 34.