Dan Martin will retire after Il Lombardia
Dan Martin will retire after Il Lombardia
Dan Martin will retire at the end of this season, ending two years with Israel Start-Up Nation that capped a pro career stretching back to 2008.
“After 14 seasons as a professional cyclist, I have decided to call it a day,” Martin posted on Instagram after the team’s official announcement. “Although this huge decision has taken much thought, I feel that the time is right to move on as I want to achieve so many other things in life. In some ways, deciding to stop has been challenging and complex; it’s perhaps one of the biggest and most important decisions I’ve made; and in other ways, it’s been easy. Though I’m still competitive, I’ve realised that racing has lost it’s fun element for me: the whole reason I started to race in the first place.”
The Irishman has taken 22 victories in his 14-year career, including the 2013 Liège-Bastogne-Liège title, a number of GC wins, and five victories across all three Grand Tours, completing the triple crown at the Giro d’Italia earlier this year.
“Giving 100% to what I do has always been how I operate,” Martin continued. “Though I could continue racing for a few years to come, and for many, this would seem like the obvious thing to do; I’m at a point where I’m ready to take on some exciting new challenges in life.
“I feel fortunate to be able to decide when I retire. I’m genuinely grateful for the support of family, friends, fans, and so many cycling teammates and colleagues who have been there for my throughout my career. A big thank you to my current team, Israel Startup Nation and all the staff and riders for making these past two seasons one of the most enjoyable and successful periods in my career.”
This weekend, Martin joins his Israel Start-Up Nation teammates in Plymouth to start the Tour of Britain, a particularly challenging edition of the race that should provide ample opportunities for the experienced climber. Then in October, the 35-year-old will race Il Lombardia, a race he won in 2014, one last time before calling time on his career.
“What next? I will always be a cyclist; I won’t hang up my wheels, just my racing number. During the last few off-seasons and when I’ve had time outside of training and racing, I’ve found a new sense of purpose and fun in developing companies and working within businesses. This interest led to Rubix Ventures, a company I co-founded with trusted contacts, to help athletes invest in exciting growth companies.
“I’m also looking forward to being more present as a father and husband at home and doing some simple things that are not compatible with the requirements of a cycling career, like going for a run with my wife,” Martin finished. “With the finish line in sight, I’ve dug into training over the last few weeks and am looking forward to making an impact in my final few races and hopefully ending this period of my life in style.”
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