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 crew 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 way of to the tip of each riders’ careers this season with Group TotalEnergies.
In his announcement, Bodnar known as his time with Sagan “an unforgettable expertise”.
“I’ve spent my whole skilled profession by the aspect of this nice man,” Bodnar wrote in a submit on Twitter accompanied by pictures of Sagan.
“It has been 14 years, with ups and downs, however in the long run, we had a blast, it was an unforgettable expertise! I do not remorse one single second, we actually loved it!”
Sagan stopped his street profession this season to give attention to mountain biking with an eye fixed 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 may be by no means a great time. There’s at all times one thing to realize, to achieve, 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 at the moment, the second has come to share it with you through [social] media.”
Bodnar highlighted the separation from household and family members as the most important consider his choice.
“I began biking on the age of 12, and simply two years later, I left my household house with ideas of being an expert bike owner,” he wrote. “26 years of racing, together with 17 years {of professional} sport …
“Biking doesn’t require sacrifices solely from the bike 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 trip and assist the very best. Ivan Basso, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, however most of all, Peter Sagan. However not solely them. The crew is just not solely about massive names, and all through my profession, I attempted to assist each crew 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 crew when Michal Kwiatkowski grew to become world champion in Ponferrada and when Rafał Majka gained the bronze medal of the Olympic Video games in Rio de Janeiro.
“A giant thanks to my teammates, coaches, administrators, managers, and the complete employees from mechanics and soigneurs to docs and workplace employees… Due to you, all the things was simpler.”
