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Road.cc reported on Oct. 9, 2026, that Egan Bernal is seriously considering retirement, although he says he intends to start the coming season and remains contracted through 2029. The live blog also reported that Robin Orins and Louic Boussemaere are leaving professional cycling, citing mental-health difficulties and a loss of motivation, respectively.
Egan Bernal is seriously considering retirement but says he currently intends to start the upcoming season, according to a statement carried by road.cc on Oct. 9, 2026. The 29-year-old Colombian, who has a contract through the end of 2029, said he needs time to decide whether he still has the motivation and physical and mental strength to compete.
Bernal said he ended his season after the Tour de France to rest and regain peace of mind. He said he had discussed his situation with his team and those close to him, and that they agreed he should take the time and space needed to consider what comes next. He did not announce a retirement or set a date for a decision.
His statement described a tension between wanting to continue and not racing without purpose. Bernal said he wants to compete only if he believes he can still contribute and remain competitive. His contract runs to 2029, but the statement does not say that he intends to ride through its full term.
The same road.cc live blog reported that Robin Orins, 24, of Lotto-Intermarché is leaving the sport after a difficult year, and that Louic Boussemaere, 20, from Decathlon CMA-CGM’s development team, has also announced he is quitting. Orins referred to mental-health struggles and said his return to racing had not gone as hoped. Boussemaere said the mental demands had become difficult and his passion for cycling had faded.
Three Riders Reassess Pro Cycling
The announcements draw attention to the personal demands of elite cycling at different stages of a career. Bernal is weighing whether to continue despite having a long-term contract, while Orins and Boussemaere have said they are stepping away at ages 24 and 20. Their accounts identify motivation, wellbeing and the physical demands of racing as factors in those individual decisions.
The cases do not establish that professional cycling as a whole has become more stressful or that riders are retiring at a higher rate. But they put questions about the pressures faced by athletes into focus, particularly when younger riders say they are struggling to recover their enjoyment of the sport.
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Bernal’s Contract and Season
Bernal, the 2019 Tour de France winner, said he had decided to end his 2026 season after the Tour de France. In the statement reproduced by road.cc, he described taking a break from competition to rest and disconnect from its pace. He said he hopes to begin the next season, while acknowledging he does not yet know what the coming years will bring.
The live blog also cited earlier examples of riders stepping away, including Simon Yates and Tom Dumoulin. Those comparisons are background, not evidence that the circumstances or reasons behind each rider’s decision are the same. The new reports concern separate athletes and their individual statements.
““No matter how hard I worked, my body said ‘no’. Now my head and heart are saying ‘no’ too.””
— Robin Orins, as quoted by road.cc
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Bernal Has Not Decided
Bernal has not said whether he will retire, when he will decide, or whether he expects to race beyond the upcoming season. His contract through 2029 describes his current agreement with the team, but the report does not explain how the contract would be handled if he chose to stop competing.
The source material does not provide further details about the support or treatment Orins received, nor does it specify Boussemaere’s next plans. The riders’ statements describe their own experiences; they do not establish a broader trend across professional cycling. The report also offers no data comparing current rider retirements or mental-health pressures with previous years.
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A Return Depends on Motivation
Bernal says he intends to start the upcoming season, making that his next stated milestone. He has also said he needs time to assess his motivation and condition, so his participation beyond that intention remains unsettled. No further team announcement or timetable for a decision was included in the road.cc report.
Orins and Boussemaere have announced that they are leaving the sport, but the report does not describe what they plan to do next. Further statements from the riders or their teams could clarify their plans and, in Bernal’s case, whether his planned return proceeds.
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Key Questions
Has Egan Bernal announced his retirement?
No. Bernal said he is seriously considering his future but intends to start the upcoming season. He has not announced a retirement date or a final decision.
How long is Bernal’s contract?
In the statement reported by road.cc, Bernal said his contract runs through the end of 2029. The report does not say whether he will race for that entire period.
Why is Robin Orins leaving professional cycling?
Orins cited mental-health difficulties during the past year and said his attempt to return to racing did not restore his wellbeing or enjoyment of the sport.
Why is Louic Boussemaere quitting?
Boussemaere said that mental difficulties had grown and that his love and passion for cycling had diminished, according to the comments reported by road.cc.
Do these announcements prove cycling is becoming more stressful?
No. The three riders’ statements describe their individual experiences. The report provides no comparative data showing whether stress or retirement rates have increased across professional cycling.
Source: rss
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