Ben King, Nathan Brown call time on pro careers
Ben King, Nathan Brown call time on pro careers
American pro Ben King will retire at the end of the season, calling time on a 15-year career. King follows in the footsteps of his Human Powered Health teammate Nathan Brown, who announced his own retirement last week.
The 33-year-old King spent 10 years in the WorldTour, riding for the likes of RadioShack and Jonathan Vaughters’ Garmin-Sharp outfit before four years at Dimension Data, with whom he won two stages of the Vuelta a España.
For the past two years, King has raced for Human Powered Health, previously called Rally Cycling, and has now decided to call it a day at the end of 2022.
“After 15 years as a professional cyclist I’ve decided that 2022 will be my last season,” King said in his retirement announcement. “I came into this sport as a scrawny homeschooled kid from the Blue Ridge Mountains. It feels like yesterday that my dad and I were filling up our slushies at 7-11 after Tuesday night Worlds, or that I was lost in Belgium before head units with maps existed. I could never have imagined how far this sport would take me.”
With a growing family, King has decided now is the time to step back from the sport, and is excited about wherever life takes him following his professional career.
“Now I have a wife, son, and daughter on the way. While I still love racing, I look forward to spending more time with the people I love and exploring my interests beyond cycling. It’s a lot to process because this is the world I’ve known for over half of my lifetime, but I believe the best is to come,” King said.
“I’m filled with gratitude for the experiences, the friendships, and for everyone who has supported me on this journey. ‘What’s next’ is still taking shape but I’m excited and open to new opportunities.”
Brown, 30, also rode for Garmin-Sharp before moving on to Rally. His final race will be the USA National Championships next month.
“I thought there was no better way to leave the sport than doing it back in my home state of Tennessee, and with my family there to cheer me on one last time,” Brown said.
“12 years ago, I became a professional cyclist, and when I look back on my career, I am very happy with what I achieved on and off the bike. I met so many amazing people during my journey, and I have so many people to thank. I am not leaving the sport because I’m bitter or mad at it. I am leaving the sport to start a new adventure with my wife and son. I will always love cycling, and I will always ride my bike, but it’s time to put a close on this chapter. Thank you for the incredible ride everyone!”
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