He competed in his last professional race on November 10, winning said race. He shared the podium with Jasper Philipsen and Arnaud de Lie, who are said to be his successors in the racing world.
The ‘Manx Missile’ kicked off his career in 2005, although he started to gain people’s curiosity in 2007 after he got called up for his first Tour de France.
Ever since then, he became the rider to beat in flat stages.
In 2009, he reached the Champs-Elysees, having tasted victory ten times, arguably reaching the peak of his career. In 2011, he crowned himself World Champion in Copenhagen, making him the first British rider to wear the rainbow jersey since 1965.
After signing for Team Sky in 2012, he was called to race at the Olympics hosted in London alongside some big names like Chris Froome and Ian Stannard. Even though they didn’t end up high in the classification, this was a great inflexion point in his career.
Over the next couple of years, he went on to win different Giro D’Italia and Tour de France stages before he was called up to the Olympics squad to race in Rio in 2016.
He managed to win a silver medal, which he added to his already large collection.
His career has not been easy: from broken bones to harsh critiques that made him want to quit more than once, he is the meaning of redemption. After having a rough season in 2020, he signed for Deceuninck–Quick-Step and finally managed to win the green jersey in the Tour de France after equalising Eddy Merckx’s stage victories record.
His last season as a professional cyclist has had its ups and downs. He broke Merckx’s record after he claimed his 35th stage victory in the Tour de France, following a messy sprint. After he crossed the finish line, he knew he had become the most successful sprinter in cycling history.
With his recognisable humour, he has become a cycling icon and a referent to many, like me. The cycling world will miss you, thank you.
