Cancellara to retire in 2016

Comments

  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-likely-to-end-career-in-2016

    Sad times.
    Well, that's 3 seasons from now. Not exactly imminent tragedy. Plus anything could change between now and then. His career could drop off a cliff (seems unlikely), he could change his mind.... who knows?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,289
    Francisco Mancebo announced his retirement in 2006 and he's still going.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,650
    Sounds like he's got a clear career plan for the next few years, transitioning into management (TdS etc). And bowing out at 35 wouldn't be that unusual...

    Have we seen any more on the Boonen comments referenced in the article? He'll be 36 by 2016... "Incidentally, Cancellara's eternal rival Tom Boonen this week confirmed that his career would continue until the Qatar 2016 Worlds at the very least."
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,289
    If he does retire at the end of 2016, he'll have been a pro for 16 seasons - which is a lot for anyone. He turned pro at 19.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-likely-to-end-career-in-2016

    Sad times.

    I'm sure Trek will have changed their kit by then, might encourage him to stay on a bit longer...

    Seriously though, always respect an athlete who bows out at the top. Maybe he figures by then Martin, Sagan and who knows who else will have squeezed him out of his dominant position in the peleton?
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    I think any retirement announcements should be saved for the season you're retiring in (or better yet to the point when you actually jack it in). He has no idea what's going to happen between now and then in his career or his life or how he'll be feeling at that point. History is littered with sportsmen/women who've reneged on their retirement plans.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Hinault announced years in advance he was retiring at 32 years old, and he did.

    Whats with all these pros continuing until late in their 30s nowadays? Do they think it's fun being a pro cyclist or something?
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    Don't think this is a flat out retirement call, just probably what he will do in the context of the Jens/Horner questions that were more than likely asked.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    FJS wrote:
    Hinault announced years in advance he was retiring at 32 years old, and he did.

    Whats with all these pros continuing until late in their 30s nowadays? Do they think it's fun being a pro cyclist or something?

    Pros used to ruin their knees back in the day.

    Lower gears / better care has stopped that.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,289
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Hinault announced years in advance he was retiring at 32 years old, and he did.

    Whats with all these pros continuing until late in their 30s nowadays? Do they think it's fun being a pro cyclist or something?

    Pros used to ruin their knees back in the day.

    Lower gears / better care has stopped that.
    They used to race a lot more days too. Hinault would typically ride two Grand Tours and all the classics. They just burnt out.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Hinault announced years in advance he was retiring at 32 years old, and he did.

    Whats with all these pros continuing until late in their 30s nowadays? Do they think it's fun being a pro cyclist or something?

    Pros used to ruin their knees back in the day.

    Lower gears / better care has stopped that.
    They used to race a lot more days too. Hinault would typically ride two Grand Tours and all the classics. They just burnt out.

    Sportsmen/women in general have much longer careers now. I'm sure its a combination of improved nutrition and training, better equipment, and less demanding schedules but there also seems a much greater cultural expectation that they will remain competitive into their late 30s and beyond.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Paulie W wrote:
    I think any retirement announcements should be saved for the season you're retiring in (or better yet to the point when you actually jack it in). He has no idea what's going to happen between now and then in his career or his life or how he'll be feeling at that point. History is littered with sportsmen/women who've reneged on their retirement plans.


    From things he was saying last year, I reckon its at least partly driven by having a very young family and wanting there to be an end in sight of being away from them so much. Perhaps his announcement at this time is as much about laying down a marker for that and for his wife.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Boonen is only going to 2016 because that is such a golden opportunity to win a second world title.
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Boonen is only going to 2016 because that is such a golden opportunity to win a second world title.
    Yeah, but he cant really retire if he wins, right?
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Didn't Boonen say he was going to retire at 30?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Damn, he's an entertaining rider but at least there are a few more seasons of him.
    Road
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    Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    FJS wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Boonen is only going to 2016 because that is such a golden opportunity to win a second world title.
    Yeah, but he cant really retire if he wins, right?

    Now that would be rockstar.
    _
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    What I want to know is if Cancellara is going for the hour record this year. It was reported that he was a while back but I've heard no more.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Boonen is only going to 2016 because that is such a golden opportunity to win a second world title.
    Yeah, but he cant really retire if he wins, right?

    Now that would be rockstar.

    Boonen is potentially Aerosmith
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Ai_1 wrote:
    What I want to know is if Cancellara is going for the hour record this year. It was reported that he was a while back but I've heard no more.


    Latest word is after the Tour
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Boonen is only going to 2016 because that is such a golden opportunity to win a second world title.
    Yeah, but he cant really retire if he wins, right?

    Now that would be rockstar.


    Cookson zips up the jersey, Boonen raises his arms and acknowledges the applause of the crowd before stepping off the podium and solemnly declaring "Boonen out".
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent

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