Luke Rowe announces retirement a year earlier than planned

Luke Rowe has announced that he will retire from professional cycling at the end of the 2024 season. The 34-year-old Welshman had a contract until the end of 2025 but has confirmed that this will be his final season in the men's WorldTour peloton.

Rowe has been part of the Ineos Grenadiers set up, formerly Team Sky, since 2012 and forged a career as one of the most respected domestiques in the world, helping Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to Tour de France success.

Read more: Luke Rowe: I don't want to be one of those riders who fizzle out

“I’ve had an amazing career and I have absolutely no regrets. 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," Rowe said in a statement released by his team.

“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," he added.

“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. 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 raced the Tour de France eight times in total with an unbroken stretch between 2015 and 2022. He was also seen as a solid Classics rider and developed into a road captain with versatile skills for both the cobbles and the mountains of the Grand Tours.

He missed out on Tour de France selection in 2023, however, but vowed to return this year when speaking to GCN at the Volta ao Algarve in February. However a crash in E3 Saxo Classic during the spring ended his Classics campaign and he has not raced since then.

His retirement announcement effectively made it clear that the Tour would not be on his programme in his final season but he aims to return to action at some point before hanging up his wheels in the autumn.

Ineos Grenadiers CEO John Allert paid tribute to the Welsh rider as part of the announcement.

“Not only is Luke a fearless, gritty, powerhouse of a racer who can read and control a race like few other riders, he’s a fantastic personality and teammate off the bike too. In the last few years, he has been a willing mentor to our younger riders, passing down his wisdom, experience and tactical knowledge," Allert said.