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CyclistThe end of an era: Why are male pro cyclists retiring younger?If 2020 was the beginning of the end for the old mode of cycling, then 2025 could potentially be viewed as the conclusion of a gradual transition to this altogether new version of the sport. Last season was the fastest on record, but also saw an unprecedented number of top-level male riders step away from pro road racing, and it was striking to note how many big names made the decision hang up their cleats. The likes of Geraint Thomas, Romain Bardet, Esteban Chaves, Alexander Kristoff and Arnaud Dmare all called time on long and distinguished careers.As riders took to social media or gave interviews to media outlets announcing their retirement, there was an outpouring of honesty, and the consensus was that cycling has changed. And for some, the rewards no longer outweighed the risks. After a career that spanned ten seasons, Jannik Steimle, then riding for Q36.5 Pro Cycling, announced his retirement on Instagram in November. In his post, the German rider, who spent his most notable years with QuickStep between 2019 and 2023, spoke about his changed perspective since the birth of his son, and how the claim to constantly push the boundaries comes with a risk one that I, as a family man, evaluate differently today.Professional sport never stands still, but cycling in particular has been gripped by a fervour that is driving many including a number of great champions and exemplary professionals to say enough is enough. Steimles words echo many other recent retirees, as he noted with relish the opportunity to move on to a life that isnt dictated by wattage, schedules and racing calendars and for riding his bike without pressure, without compulsion, simply for the joy of it.The increase in speed, questionable safety records at certain races, soaring expectations and a broadly acknowledged lack of respect in the mens peloton have combined to produce a level of jeopardy that many riders are no longer willing to submit themselves to. Steimle was one of 58 men from the WorldTour and Pro Continental level to step away from the sport in 2025 a relatively low number by comparison to previous years (2024 saw 78 men retire, with the previous two years similar in number). But what is most notable about the class of 2025 is the quality and depth of experience that is being lost: great leaders, decorated champions and big presences, ones that shaped races and who had influence on a wider scale. It draws to a close an era of cycling that was defined by marginal gains and gradual improvement today, cycling is a sport that is changing rapidly, and anyone who cant keep up will inevitably be left behind.A young mans gameTadej Pogaars aggressive racing style is one of two things shaking up the sport, says ex-pro Jacopo Guarnieri. A.S.O./Billy CeustersFormer professional turned UCI rider agent Jacopo Guarnieri has a unique perspective on the changes that have reshaped the sport since the Covid year threw the entire world into chaos and brought about a new world order to the mens peloton. Guarnieri terms it a new attitude within the peloton, that he believes was driven by two key factors food intake and generational champions.Speaking about the new approach to nutrition during races, Guarnieri says, It was a big revolution in cycling. Were still using two wheels, and a bike is still a bike, but this was a big difference. I think before it was a more conservative sport, because you never know when youre going to hunger flat. So it was more like, try to manage yourself, and then at the end, just empty the tank. Where now, if youre fuelling properly, you can have this sort of energy or power through the day, and this change led to a big difference in the approach to racing.At the same time, we had huge champions like Tadej [Pogaar] or Mathieu [van der Poel], even Mads Pedersen, riders that were not scared to go on the attack from far. I think one thing was inspiring the other.As racing resumed following the global lockdown there was a sense of widespread fervour within the bunch as riders threw themselves into the breach with increasing levels of reckless abandon. Combined with this newfound ability to sustain higher power for longer, races began to open up earlier, and with everyone scrambling to ensure they were at the pointy end of proceedings, safety precautions were parked, and the prevailing mood was one of desperation. Five seasons on, this new mode of racing has become the norm, rather than the exception.Guarnieri points to the shift in attitude of a younger generation of rider arriving in the sport ready for the rigours of top level competition, as a result of the advances in the sports professionalism, and how this in turn impacts the control within the bunch or lack thereof: Its kind of an alpha male thing, he says. I remember in races when you were younger, you didnt have the level of the older riders and when you were trying to impose yourself, there was always a physically stronger older rider. Now we have a young generation much stronger than the older guys, and they are well prepared. They know a lot of things about cycling, about how to train, how to fuel. They dont want to listen to the old people. How can you impose yourself when youre older if theyre younger and theyre better than you?Escalating expectationsDespite both ending the most recent cycle with a WorldTour place, Lotto and Intermarch merged over winter because of budget issues. Lotto-IntermarchTimes were already hard in the cycling industry but the ripples that pulsated out from 2020 and into subsequent years saw budgets stretched even more thinly, with sponsors applying increasing amounts of pressure on teams to increase their return on investment, races struggling financially, and the newly-introduced promotion and relegation scrap for WorldTour licenses adding an additional layer of pressure to a pot that was already threatening to boil over.Guarnieri observes that younger riders are amazed when he tells them he was able to have a career that spanned 16 years. Now careers are much shorter and way more demanding than before, he says. Now, whether youre racing at the Tour de France or Arctic Race of Norway or Tour of Hungary, the level is super-high in any race youre going to. That makes every day, every race, very demanding physically, but mainly mentally. Theres never a race where you can just get ready for racing.An added factor contributing to tension in lower-level races is the diminishing opportunity for victory in a sport dominated by a small number of high-budget teams.Guarnieri is pragmatic about the reality of the sport in terms of the opportunities for smaller teams: Before it was possible to see riders with a low salary winning at the Tour de France, its not anymore, he says. And the Monuments even more. Its a long time since there was some surprise in a Monument winner.Beyond the wear and tear of a lengthy career at the top end of an endurance sport, other riders were forced to drop down to lower tiers of the sport, or retire altogether, due to a pinch on the number of contracts available this off-season more than ever with Arka-B&B Hotels folding, the merger of Intermarch and Lotto, and the loss of the Wagner-Bazin team at the Continental level. With less space for riders to find a place at all levels of the sport comes a further pressure to be stronger, faster and more professional, but at what cost? It definitely was a terrible year for cycling, Guarnieri says. For me the big mistake in general is underestimating the power of a domestique. Its normal that a champion or strong riders are going to always find a contract, but its not just what you do on the bike, its also how you build the team, or what youre acting inside the team and inside the bus, the team model. You need to have the core of the team, and good team players are often underestimated. Related Posts Our very early ideal 2026/27 pro cycling transfer window What to expect from every mens WorldTour team in 2026 9 big predictions for the 2026 pro cycling season I feel for the young guys nowadays: Tim Declercq Q&A The next chapterLifelong domestique Tim Declercq, who retired at the end of 2025, thinks there needs to be more respect in the peloton. Sean HardyIn a sport that has long been shaped by masculine ideals of toughness, the continued reluctance of the peloton as a whole to take health and safety into account is a worrying trend; a win at all costs mentality has escalated in the years since the pandemic rocked the sport, and now, competing for position heading into tight turns or narrowing roads, regardless of the distance from the finish line, has become a daily occurrence; an elbows-out battle that every sports director demands their team win. Speaking to Domestique earlier this month, 2025 retiree Tim Declercq spoke plainly about the shift in mentality: Having your life is always more important and having a little bit more respect towards each other in the bunch, I think this is something the whole bunch could benefit from.Guarnieri agrees: Now you feel you need to take risks in every race. Its definitely more hectic, you need to fight for every inch, for every centimetre. If a team decides to split up the peloton or open up the race at 150km to go, everybody needs to be present. This impact is felt by a generation of riders who spent the early years of their careers without the expectation to be at the top of their game year-round. I think some older riders, like I was, found themselves having a little bit of a hard time dealing with this new attitude, he says.There are no concessions and no room for error as the sport places ever higher demands on its participants for UCI points (a system Guarnieri dismisses as unfit for purpose), for exposure for a dwindling pool of sponsors, and for the attention of an already marginalised audience, who find their access to the sport blocked at every turn, with channels folding, paywall costs rising, and uncertainty over where and how to watch even the biggest races on the calendar.Heading into 2026, the tide of riders announcing their departure from the sport continues, with Simon Yates joining Simon Clarke in clocking out early. Guarnieri is dismissive of the idea that the absence of these riders from the peloton will have an impact on the sport in general though: The biggest impact of losing all these older riders is going to be on their own teams. Its a downside for the teams because having somebody who is just a bigger shoulder than you, because hes older and has been through it, can teach you the heart of surviving those moments. They can really bring the team up when the moment is difficult. Its a lesson you learn.While Guarnieri, who poetically cites his own reason for retirement as being out of the time cut for this sport, notes that many retirements, including his own, bring about the natural end to a career, he agrees that a number of riders stepping away from the sport still potentially had a lot to give. He cites Yates, the most recent and one of the most surprising examples of riders at the top of their game hanging up the cleats: I think he felt like he achieved everything he wanted. So it was like, OK, I dont need any more of this. I think the amount of sacrifice that you have to make in order to be competitive, its really big. The amount of days they spend at altitude camp, away from home, plus all the racing. This has a very big impact on you.When I was a rider, for me, the worst time of the year was the training camp. I didnt like at all being away from home just for training. I think it has a big impact, especially on the older generation, because they were used to staying home much more and having a little bit less professionally, it was a bit more romantic in a way. Speaking to Rouleur in January, Romain Bardet was of the same mind. He said, There comes a point when the scale is tipped on the wrong side, and it just is not worth making so many sacrifices for fewer results.Guarnieri is philosophical about the sports future: Everything has changed, and we have to deal with it. We cannot go back. I think its going in one direction. Regardless of the length of a career, its just one facet of what made Guarnieri who he was: Cycling is just a part of the life of somebody, an amazing part, but it has to come to an end. It was my time and the right time, and I was excited to do something different. The post The end of an era: Why are male pro cyclists retiring younger? appeared first on Cyclist.

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