Cycling news - Kevin Reza to retire from cycling at the end of 2021 season and has no regrets

ByEurosport

Updated 20/06/2021 at 12:33 GMT

Kevin Reza has announced his retirement from cycling. In a powerful interview with Eurosport’s Orla Chennaoui last year, Reza said cycling had a "lot to learn" and urged his fellow professionals to wake up to the issue of racism and lack of diversity in the sport. Bradley Wiggins said Reza's comments highlighted how backwards the sport is.

Kevin Reza (B&B Hotels - Vital Concept) has announced he will retire from cycling at the end of the 2021 season.

The 33-year-old says he now struggles physically and mentally to meet the demands required for competing professionally.

"My decision has been made over the past few weeks," he said.

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"The nervousness in the peloton, the risks some riders take, all the effort over and over, my ass out of the saddle time and time again…I feel like I can't take it all anymore.

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"I've always told myself that the day I found it increasingly difficult to fulfil my mission, I had to ask myself the right questions.

"In [the recent Tour of] Belgium I noticed that my physical condition was still good, but that my head no longer followed.

"My body can no longer handle such pressure. On television, the preparation for a sprint looks fluid and simple, but in reality, it is very different."

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Reza suffered a nasty fall at the 2016 Vuelta a Espana and says it took him time to get back to competing with the best again.

He says he can now leave the sport with no regrets after returning from the career setback.

"It was a terrible challenge to get back on the bike after that fall," he said.

"That's not how I wanted to end my career. I wanted to show that I could return to the top level. Now I feel the time has come and I have no problem saying so.

Saying goodbye is a taboo for many riders, but I really have no problem with it.

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