The news of Simon Yates' sudden retirement announcement sent shock waves across the sport, especially in Spain, where many riders were gathered in training camps.
Everyone is focused on preparing for the new season, with new goals and new motivation, so Yates' announcement was a bolt from the blue. Yet it also touched a nerve with riders about the intensity, stress and demands of the sport.
Tudor Pro Cycling were holding their media day, with riders speaking about their ambitions and plans for 2026, when the Visma-Lease a Bike rider released his message on Wednesday afternoon.
Matteo Trentin raced alongside Yates at Mitchelton-Scott when Yates won the 2018 Vuelta a España. The Italian is now 36 and still hungry to race but praised Yates for his bravery to decide to retire.
"You have to be brave to quit. He's decided to stop and he's done it with a mic drop. Boom! He's gone out on top, as a Giro winner. Chapeau," Trentin told Cyclingnews.
"I'm surprised but not too much. Modern cycling has become super stressful, especially if you ride for the GC in stage races and Grand Tours like Simon did. He could never have a 'day off' and then there's more training camps, more specific work and more pressure.
"Perhaps he's just had enough of all the stress… He won the Vuelta and he won last year's Giro. He won a stage at the Tour and won a Tour with Pogačar. He has little else to achieve.
"I don't think he woke up and suddenly decided to quit today. I imagined it had been on his mind for a while and had been eating away at him."
Larry Warbasse didn't know about Yates' retirement when he sat down to talk to Cyclingnews outside the Tudor team hotel in Moraira on the central Costa Blancas coast. The US rider is 35 and like Yates has been a professional for over a decade.
But he has no thoughts of retirement himself and has a new two-year contract with Tudor. He was shocked to hear about Yates' sudden announcement.
"Are you kidding? That's insane!" was Warbasse's immediate reaction. "It's not like he was slowing down, he won the Giro!"
Warbasse also highlighted the stress of modern-day professional cycling.
"I can understand him," Warbasse said. "When we turned pro, the sport was a lot more balanced in general. You didn't have to be as crazy about everything. Not everyone can handle that, especially the riders who turned pro when I did, back in 2012.
"I imagine that at Visma it's a step higher, for the level of dedication and precision they aim for. Of course, if you can do it, it's super rewarding but not everyone is capable of being that switched on for always.
"That's perhaps what led Simon to call it a day. I'm happy for him if he is happy but it's sad for the sport to lose a great rider so suddenly."
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