Irish cyclist Dan Martin announces retirement

Dan Martin who won stages on all three of cycling's Grand Tours announced he would retire at the end of 2021 after 14 years as a professional.

Martin was the first major signing for Israel Cycling Academy and in their colours in May won a stage on the Giro d'Italia to add to two each on the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.

He also won two of cycling's monuments (ultra-long one-day races), Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.

Martin released a lengthy statement on Twitter on Saturday explaining the sense of fun had gone from cycling, for him, and he wished to be a better father and partner while focussing on a business venture.

"I will always be a cyclist, I won't hang up my bike, just my racing number," said the father of two-year-old twins who is married to distance runner Jess Martin.

"I'm also looking forwards to being more present as a father and doing the simple things that are incompatible with professional cycling, like going for a run with my wife," he said.

The 35-year-old Martin is nephew of Irish cycling great Stephen Roche who won the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and world championships in 1987.

Martin considers himself Irish but was born in England and lives in Spain.

© 2021 AFP