Former Tour de France Stage Winner Dylan Teuns Announces Retirement

Former La Flèche Wallonne winner and two-time Tour de France stage winner Dylan Teuns has officially announced his retirement from professional cycling after 12 years in the peloton. At 34 years old, the Belgian rider confirmed on Thursday evening that his search for a new squad for the upcoming season had come to an end without a contract.

Teuns spent the final two seasons of his career with Cofidis, following previous stints at BMC Racing Team, Bahrain Victorious, and Israel-Premier Tech. Before Il Lombardia, he had expressed his desire to continue racing through 2027, stating that he still believed he possessed the potential to compete at the WorldTour level. However, a challenging spring season and difficulties in securing a spot left him without a confirmed team for the first time in his professional career.

Reflecting on his contract difficulties to the Flemish press, Teuns explained that the situation caused an unfamiliar level of stress. Despite holding intensive talks with three WorldTeams and two ProTeams, those negotiations ultimately yielded no results. He noted that nearly every team repeated the same reasoning regarding the need to rejuvenate their rosters.

Teuns further detailed that discussions with Lotto-Intermarché also failed to secure a place for him. After consulting with his partner, Elke, and his parents, he weighed his options and concluded that joining a smaller team would not bring him happiness. He stated that he wanted to continue only with a competitive WorldTour-worthy squad, noting that he was fully willing to embrace a supporting role as a lead-out man or contribute in the classics.

Looking back on his career, Teuns expressed immense pride and gratitude for fulfilling his childhood dreams. His 14 professional victories include memorable Tour de France stage wins atop La Super Planche des Belles Filles in 2019 and Le Grand-Bornand in 2021, a stage victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2019, and his triumph on the Mur de Huy ahead of Alejandro Valverde at La Flèche Wallonne in 2022.

Admitting that the past two seasons brought added pressure and unfulfilled expectations, Teuns chose to focus on the highlights of his versatile career, which included competing in all five Monuments and all three Grand Tours. In his farewell message on social media, he thanked his fans, teammates, staff members, parents, close friends, and girlfriend for supporting him through the highs and lows of his athletic journey.