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Alex Dowsett: Two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner retires from professional road racing with immediate effect
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Published 29/08/2022 at 09:44 GMT+1
Six-time British time trial champion Alex Dowsett has retired from professional road racing cycling as he looks to do more “exciting” projects in his new chapter in the sport which will begin from at the start of 2023. “My future is still going to be on two wheels,” said Dowsett. “Once I’ve got a real solid plan of what I’m doing I will tell you what it is.”
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Alex Dowsett has announced he has retired from professional cycling on the road in pursuit of other challenges in the sport.
Dowsett, who has rode for Trek-Livestrong, Team Sky, Movistar, Katusha-Alpecin and Israel Start-Up Nation, originally wanted to race on for another two seasons but has changed his mind.
“I’m going to step out of the WorldTour, step out of pro cycling from now,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“I think what’s changed is this year I’ve gone through a period where the want to win something bigger than I’ve previously won or be better than I’ve previously been has wavered.
“I’ve been more in a state of actually being happy with what I’ve achieved and being content with my work, and my achievements and success and application.”
Dowsett is a six-time British time trial champion, gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 and held the UCI Hour record in 2015 before Bradley Wiggins beat his time.
The two-time Giro d’Italia stage winner wasn’t able to shed too much light on what his plans are for 2023 but is excited about his next chapter in cycling.
“My future is still going to be on two wheels,” said Dowsett. “Once I’ve got a real solid plan of what I’m doing I will tell you what it is.
“The bones of what we have in for next year it’s really filling me with excitement."
Dowsett suffers from haemophilia, a condition which results in people bleeding for longer after injury, leading to increased risk of bleeding inside joints or the brain.
The 33-year-old chose a career in cycling rather than football and rugby because they were considered too risky.
He is believed to be the only sportsperson in the world who has the condition and wants to continue to raise awareness about it.
“I’m most proud of the stamp I left and the progress I’ve made with the haemophilia community,” said Dowsett. “That’s something I want to have the capacity to take forwards next year.
“I want to help the haemophilia community and the rare disease community because I’m in a position where I can help and I enjoy it, I have a responsibility to help.”
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