Luke Rowe is to retire at the end of the season, Ineos Grenadiers announced on Friday. The 34-year-old is in his 13th season with the British squad, and had a contract for next year, but said now was the right time to "bow out".
The Welshman, who has spent the second half of his career as a road captain for Sky, then Ineos, has had a "testing" last 18 months, with the latest challenge being an injury suffered in a crash at the E3 Saxo Classic earlier this year. He said that his "dream" way to finish his career would be to ride the Tour of Britain one final time, in September.
"I’ve had an amazing career and I have absolutely no regrets," Rowe said in a press release. "But the last eighteen months have been testing in different ways and with this latest crash and resulting injury, it just feels like now is the right time to bow out, head home to Wales and spend a bit more time with my family.
"I’ve got so many amazing memories and I have loved every part of being a professional cyclist. There are so many people who have played a key role in my career - too many to thank individually. Obviously huge thanks to my family and friends, but I’d also like to thank everyone in the Ineos Grenadiers, many of whom are also like family.
"I’ve been incredibly lucky to spend all thirteen years as a pro bike rider with one team and it’s been a team who has supported me 100% through the good times and the bad. Their commitment and support to their athletes is world class and it’s part of the reason I have never wanted to race for anyone else."
"For now, I am focussing on recovering from this latest injury and working with the team and doctors to try and get back on the bike," he continued. "I have the rest of the season left and would like to race again in 2024 - with the Tour of Britain being my dream race to end on. The fans around the world have always been amazing but it would be pretty special to end my career racing around the UK in front of home fans."
Rowe turned professional with Sky in 2012, and won a stage of the Tour of Britain that year. The standout result of his career was possibly fifth at the Tour of Flanders in 2016, along with multiple top 10s in other Classics, but he also emerged as a solid support rider at the Tour de France. He was present at five of Sky/Ineos' overall victories at the Tour through Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal.
John Allert, the CEO of Ineos Grenadiers, said: "Luke is a massive part of what makes this team so special. He has been here since the early years and has played a huge part in our biggest wins and some of the most iconic moments in the team’s history."
Separately, his long-term teammate, podcast co-host and friend Thomas has said that it is "95%" certain that he will retire at the end of 2025, when his current contract expires.
While it was likely that this would be the 37-year-old's final deal, a date for his retirement is yet to be set. In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday, Thomas said: "I’ve definitely still got a contract another year, a contract for next year. Then that will likely be my final year, I would think. Nothing is nailed down yet, but 95% I’ll be finishing at the end of next year."
The former Tour winner is set to ride the Giro d'Italia, which begins in Turin on Saturday.
Earlier this week, he said he was "confident" for the race, despite the presence of Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).
“I’m excited about getting into it and racing," he said. "We’ve got a strong team, there’s a few new guys and we’re itching to go.
"I feel like I’ve done everything I can to be in a good place so I’ll just get out there and race the race now."
