The (Pro) Retirement thread

[mididoctors]

Yeah, he's a bit of a weird one really - often talked up a lot, both in GC and one-dayers - but never really excelled. There's an interesting comparison with his compatriot of a close age, Wout Poels. Both have a single hilly monument as their biggest result and have GT stage wins. Poels actually has more wins but Mollema made a GT podium (3rd in Vuelta) and several GT top tens. Poels has better GC wins I think, though both fairly minor (neither has a WT GC). Mollema scores about double Poels UCI points.

Poels was very much considered a domestique deluxe, and rode that way, while Mollema often had a freeish role to pursue minor GC placings

https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider-vs-rider/wout-poels/bauke-mollema/overview

To me He was a GT GC podium contender that became top 15 landfill who wisely switched up into stage hunting . It was good for him and the sport

 

[misforturob]

Froome-dog has officially retired

https://www.domestiquecycling.com/e...onfirms-retirement-from-professional-cycling/

 

[wakemalcolm]

Froome-dog has officially retired

https://www.domestiquecycling.com/e...onfirms-retirement-from-professional-cycling/

Only by retiring can he make a true comeback.

 

[TakeTheHighRoad]

Should we add Pogi to this thread? Nearly 8 minutes down on the Yellow Jersey after 4 stages of the Tour de France

 

[No Ta Doctor]

A big one here, Dame Sarah Storey has what, swallowed the nation's pride?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/09/sarah-storey-retires-48-interview-cycling-swimming

 

[Pross]

Didn’t she also win a few non-para medals too? Saw at the Nationals at Celtic Manor straight off the bike and happily chatting to the public. One of the UK’s true sporting greats.

 

[wakemalcolm]

Steven Kruijswijk, of the almost famous but for a snow wall on the 2016 Giro, probably has quite a lot of pride to swallow after 17 years on the one team. Good company man, just hang your coat rather than your hopes on him.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Steven Kruijswijk, of the almost famous but for a snow wall on the 2016 Giro, probably has quite a lot of pride to swallow after 17 years on the one team. Good company man, just hang your coat rather than your hopes on him.

Looks like he's got one last Vuelta in him (his 24th GT - ridden 23, finished 15), in which he'll mainly be watching Van Aert go on the rampage while shepherding some Visma kiddies around (of the unconfirmed 5 riders other than him & Van Aert that PCS have listed*, only Tullett has ridden a GT before (both Vuelta and Giro)

Here's his crash into the snow in on stage 19 of the Giro 2016 that lost him the maglia rosa (he eventually finished 4th, 1'50" down on Nibali - he'd been 3 minutes ahead of second place Chaves going into the stage)


It would be nice to report that he's had loads of success in his later years as a domestique, but he's only actually managed to get to the end of a GT on the winning team twice - A Roglic Vuelta in '21 and Yates's Giro in '25. He DNFed a Vingegaard Tour win in '21 and a Roglic Vuelta win in '19.

But here he is in happier times - celebrating a podium place in the Tour, his best GT Result

*They're not always accurate, and I've been done before by relying on them

 

[wakemalcolm]

What a truly mediocre GC that was. Alaphilippe must rank that as one of the biggest missed opportunities of his career.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

What a truly mediocre GC that was. Alaphilippe must rank that as one of the biggest missed opportunities of his career.

Really? It was the only time he came anywhere near close to a GC in the Tour and he still finished four minutes down in fifth place at the end. It was a near miracle he was yellow for so long in the first place.

Anyway, stop trying to bait G and Bernal fans.

 

[rich p]

Bob Jungels to retire.
Funnily enough I was looking at his year's stats and there were an awful lot of DNFs.
I also vaguely remember am interview some time ago where he mentioned the new speed in the peloton. Decent rider on his day.

 

[CarbonClem]

Bob Jungels to retire.
Funnily enough I was looking at his year's stats and there were an awful lot of DNFs.
I also vaguely remember am interview some time ago where he mentioned the new speed in the peloton. Decent rider on his day.

He was massive.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

He was massive.

Bob Jungels (massive) loved Bardet as well


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCN1DhHTZA

 

[DCLane]

Looks like Julian Alaphilippe has retired early: https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cyc...-early-end-to-his-professional-racing-career/

 

[mjr]

Looks like Julian Alaphilippe has retired early: https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cyc...-early-end-to-his-professional-racing-career/

As that and https://www.midilibre.fr/2026/08/21...aphilippe-tire-sa-reverence-a-34-13517024.php say, the rider and his agents haven't yet confirmed it.