World-class Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin has ended his professional career with immediate effect. The 31-year-old originally wanted to finish this season and start at the World Championships in Australia in September.
“The tank is empty, the legs feel heavy and the training sessions are not working as I had hoped”, wrote Dumoulin on social media. A good two months ago he announced that he would be retiring from sport at the end of the year. This means that the Dutchman will not be able to compete at the World Championships in Australia in September.
Giro winner, world champion, Olympic silver
Dumoulin had his most successful year in 2017, when he won the Giro d’Italia and the gold medal in the individual and team time trials at the World Championships in Bergen, Norway. His best result at the Tour de France was second place (2018). At last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Dutchman won the silver medal in the individual race against the clock.
The Jumbo Visma professional had already taken a break at the beginning of 2021 due to mental problems. “Since my hard fall in training last September, something has broken again,” so Dumoulin. “I had to interrupt my efforts to get back on track again and suffer another disappointment. It was one too many.”