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Canadian cycling legend Ryder Hesjedal to retire after 2016

Last races to be Tour of Alberta, GP's of Montreal and Quebec

Ryder Hesjedal
August 1, 2016
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After 18-seasons of professional cycling, Ryder Hesjedal, winner of the 2012 Giro d’Italia, will retire at the end of this season, both his team Trek-Segafredo and the man himself announced Monday.


Thirty-five-year-old Hesjedal, a native of Victoria, B.C., said he’s ready for the next challenges of his life.


Hesjedal completed Saturday’s WorldTour Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian race, which his teammate Bauke Mollema won, in 110th place.

Hesjedal was a successful mountain biker first, before joining the pro road ranks with Rabobank Continental Team in 2002. His 9-year spell with Garmin-Slipstream produced his greatest feats: two Vuelta a España stage victories in 2009 and 2014, and the pinnacle of Canadian professional cycling–the 2012 Giro title, won in an engrossing seesaw battle with Joaquim Rodriguez, who will also retired at the end of 2016.

His single season with Trek-Segafredo has at times been a rough ride, with illness making him climb off in Stage 14 of the Giro when he was in 14th place. The sickness affected his fitness for the Tour de France and he didn’t make La Grande Boucle. His best result of 2016 so far has been 60th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a Classic in which he has scored two top-10’s.

There were plenty of Canadian and international well-wishers on Twitter.


Hesjedal will finish his career at the Tour of Alberta in early-September followed by the two GP’s of Montreal and Quebec.