Struggling with an ongoing neck injury, Leah Thomas steps away from racing

The Trek-Segafredo team announced today that Leah Thomas will be leaving the team at the end of 2022.

The 33-year-old joined Trek-Segafredo from Movistar at the end of 2021, but got sidelined early with neck pain and a pinched shoulder nerve that left her with limited motion in one of her arms.

She underwent spinal surgery early in the year and had a 'tough spring' trying to recover and return to racing. While her range of motion returned, the pain persisted. 

But when she did make a return to racing in June, she did so to great success. In June, she set a new best time on the U.S. national time trial course in Knoxville, Tennessee, claiming the national TT tittle and the coveted Stars-and-Stripes jersey.

She then continued on to support her team in France for the Tour de France Femmes but while she was able to finish the eight-day challenge, her neck continued to bother her. 

She returned to her native California to focus on recovery and physical therapy until representing the U.S. in Wollongong at the UCI Road World Championships. 

She managed to race the time trial in Australia and finished fifth. 

However, it appears the neck injury persists and her team today announced that Thomas will be stepping away from racing to focus on rehabilitation. 

A time trial specialist, Thomas turned pro in 2015 with the Twenty16 p/b Sho-air team. She continued on to ride for the UnitedHealthcare, Bigla and Movistar teams before moving to Trek-Segafredo team, attracted by their aggressive racing style.

Thomas' palmares includes several bronze and one gold U.S. national time trial medals, the Pan American time trial title and wins at the Tour of Scotland and the Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche.