Joaquim Rodriguez To Retire From Cycling After 2016 Season

Spanish cyclist Joaquim Rodriguez has confirmed he will retire at the end of the 2016 season.

Joaquim Rodriguez To Retire From Cycling After 2016 Season

The Barcelona native made the announcement Monday morning at his Katusha team’s Tour de France rest day in Andorra.

“I’d like to announce that this is my last year of competition,” an emotional Rodriguez said, before pausing to steady himself. “I’d like to stop while I’m still at a good level. I love this sport and I wouldn’t change a thing about these years I’ve spent as a professional. I’d like to thank my family and everybody who has supported me during my career.”

The 37-year-old, a podium regular in the Grand Tours, says the Rio Olympics will be one of his final competitions.

Rodriguez ranks fifth overall after nine stages of this year’s Tour de France, just 37 seconds behind leader Chris Froome. 

It was fitting that he chose to end his 17-year career in Andorra, given that he has resided in the principality for many years.

Rodriguez’s best career results include a third-place finish in the 2013 Tour de France, while he finished second in the 2012 Giro d’Italia and at last year’s Vuelta a España. He lost the latter race to Ryder Hesjedal by just 16 seconds.

“I have no idea what will be my last race,” the Katusha rider said. “In theory, Rio and the Vuelta a Espana are still on my programme.”

Rodriguez also won the Tour of Lombardy (2012 and 2013) and Flèche Wallonne (2012). He has finished on the podium of each of the three Grand Tours, but never succeeded in winning one. In 2010, he led the Vuelta a España into the final week only to drop to third overall after a calamitous showing in the Penafiel time trial.

“I have so many memories,” Rodriguez said on Monday. “I think of my super year 2012 Il Lombardia in the pouring rain but I also think of my silver medal at the 2013 World Championships. Not to have won there still hurts but that’s cycling.”

He added that Alejandro Valverde and Michele Bartoli were the two riders who had most impressed him over the course of his career.

Rodriguez earned his nickname ‘Purito’– Spanish for ‘Little Cigar’– with his first team, ONCE, in 2001.

After winning the Spanish title in 2007 and placing 6th at the 2008 Vuelta a España, Rodriguez enjoyed a break-out year in 2009, placing second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and taking bronze at the Worlds in Mendrisio.

PLATEAU DE BEILLE, FRANCE – JULY 16: Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver of Spain and Team Katusha celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win stage twelve of the 2015 Tour de France, a 195 km stage between Lannemezan and Plateau de Beille, on July 16, 2015 in Plateau de Beille, France. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena