On Tuesday evening, Dutch rider Niki Terpstra issued a statement on social media announcing his retirement from professional cycling at the end of the season.
The sport bids farewell to an exceptional champion
After turning professional in 2007, Terpstra scaled the heights of the sport at Milram before joining Quick-Step in 2011, with whom he won two Monuments, Paris-Roubaix in 2014 and the Tour of Flanders in 2018. The following year, the Dutch champion decided to move to TotalEnergies (previously Direct Energie). He will be leaving the peloton at the end of the season, after a sixteen-year career and many wins.
Niki Terpstra : “It was an incredible journey“
“I have decided to retire with professional road cycling at the end of this season. Despite options to continue, I feel it’s time to close this incredible chapter of my career and focus on new challenges on and off the bike. I could not have imagined that at the age of 8, while starting to ride my bike, I’d have the chance to one day be part of the professional peloton and race all those iconic races. To then also win monuments such as Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders is still mind blowing to me and my family. I can’t wait to fnish this season on a high note, as some great events are still on my agenda. Later more on that! It was an incredible journey and I like to thank everyone who supported me during my career. Bus listen, I am not done yet with cycling. Of course I will continue to race… stay tuned!”
An exciting career
- 22 victoires
- Paris-Roubaix (2014)
- Tour of Flanders (2018)
- E3 Saxo Bank Classic (2018)
- National Championships Netherlands (2010, 2012, 2015)
- Dwars door het Hageland (2014)
- 3th stage of Critérium du Dauphiné (2019)
- 10 top10 on the monument races
Niki Terpstra has spent four seasons in the Vendée colors. He has had his fair share of crashes and injuries, and the strength of character to overcome them all. And in 2019, Niki scored the precious points that clinched the team’s first place in the UCI Europe Tour ranking.
- 3th Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne (2019)
- 2th Dwars door het Hageland (2019)
- 2th Paris-Tours (2019)