Polish rider Maciej Bodnar (TotalEnergies) introduced he’s ending his skilled profession in a submit on Instagram on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old began his profession with the Liquigas workforce in 2007 however spent nearly all of his racing profession in service of Peter Sagan, from the three-time world champion’s first 12 months within the WorldTour in 2010 by means of to the top of each riders’ careers this season with Group TotalEnergies.
In his announcement, Bodnar referred to as his time with Sagan “an unforgettable expertise”.
“I’ve spent my whole skilled profession by the facet of this nice man,” Bodnar wrote in a submit on Twitter accompanied by photographs of Sagan.
“It has been 14 years, with ups and downs, however ultimately, we had a blast, it was an unforgettable expertise! I do not remorse one single second, we actually loved it!”
Sagan stopped his highway profession this season to give attention to mountain biking with a watch on the Olympics in Paris subsequent 12 months. One other long-time member of Sagan’s entourage, Daniel Oss, introduced his retirement earlier this 12 months.
“There’s a second within the life of each athlete, which all of us strive not to consider for years, and it at all times touches everybody, there’s by no means an excellent time. There may be at all times one thing to realize, to realize, to show,” Bodnar wrote.
“Time to say ‘ciao’ in spite of everything. This present season was my final. I’ve been serious about ending my profession for a very long time, and immediately, the second has come to share it with you by way of [social] media.”
Bodnar highlighted the separation from household and family members as the largest consider his determination.
“I began biking on the age of 12, and simply two years later, I left my household house with ideas of being knowledgeable bicycle owner,” he wrote. “26 years of racing, together with 17 years {of professional} sport …
“Biking doesn’t require sacrifices solely from the bicycle owner. It additionally requires them, and maybe above all, from our households. So now it is time for household and family members.”
Bodnar then mirrored on the celebrities he supported throughout his profession.
“I spent my profession primarily as a ‘gregario’, a help rider, and I used to be fortunate sufficient to experience and assist the most effective. Ivan Basso, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, however most of all, Peter Sagan. However not solely them. The workforce isn’t solely about huge names, and all through my profession, I attempted to assist each workforce and each rider as if every of them have been World Champions.
“I am very proud that I used to be a part of the workforce when Michal Kwiatkowski turned world champion in Ponferrada and when Rafał Majka received the bronze medal of the Olympic Video games in Rio de Janeiro.
“An enormous thanks to my teammates, coaches, administrators, managers, and the complete employees from mechanics and soigneurs to medical doctors and workplace employees… Due to you, all the things was simpler.”