Rogers victorious at the 2004 World Time Trial Championships. Photo by Sirotti
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Michael Rogers Retires after 16-Year Career

After an astounding 16-year career at the top of the sport Michael Rogers announced his premature retirement from professional cycling at the start of this week. He made the announcement in an open letter on his personal Twitter account on April 25.

Reoccuring problems with Rogers congenital heart condition have forced him to end his professional cycling career before the end of his planned final season. It is the same condition that forced him to miss the Tour Down Under this year and exit the Dubai Tour early. That was his last race to date.

Rogers, 2004, claiming his second Elite World Time Trial Championship title. In 2003 he was beaten on the clock by David Millar who was later disqualified for doping, handing Rogers the title. Photo by Sirotti
Rogers, 2004, claiming his second Elite World Time Trial Championship title. In 2003 he was beaten on the clock by David Millar who was later disqualified for doping, handing Rogers the title. Photo by Sirotti

Rogers attended the Australian Institute of Sport in his early career and turned pro in 2001. He rode for Mapai-Quickstep, T-Mobile, HTC and Team Sky before joining the Tinkoff squad which he has retired from.

A three-time World Champion Time Trialist consecutively, a Tour de France and Giro d’Italia stage winner, an olympian and a mentor to many young riders in the Tinkoff team today, his achievements have earnt him his spot in the Australian Cycling history books. 

“In hindsight I’m grateful my original cardiac condition, a malformation of the aortic valve, remained stable until recently, allowing me to compete from my humble beginnings in the Australian outback town of Griffith, all the way to top of the professional ranks.” Rogers said.

“Whilst I’m disappointed to miss my 13th Tour de France and a chance to compete at my fifth Olympic Games, I’m not prepared to put my health in jeopardy.”

(Read the entire announcement below.)

Here are Michael Rogers’ palmares:

2014:
1st – Stage 11 & 20 Giro d’Italia
1st – Stage 16 Tour de France
3rd – Overall Classification Route du Sud

2013:
2nd – Overall Classification Tour of California
6th – Overall Classification Critérium du Dauphiné

2012:
1st – Stage 2 & 4 (ITT) Bayern-Rundfarth + Overall Classification
2nd – Overall Classification Critérium du Dauphiné
3rd – Overall Classification Critérium International
4th – Overall Classification Tour Down Under

2010:
1st – Overall Classification Tour of California
1st – Overall Classification Vuelta a Andalucía
2nd – Overall Classification Critérium International
3rd – Strade Bianche
3rd – Overall Classification Tour de Romandie

2009:
1st – Australian National Time Trial Championship
3rd – Overall Classification Tour of California
6th – Overall Classification Giro d’Italia + Stage 1 (TTT)

2008:
2nd – Overall Classification Tour of Missouri
2nd – Overall Classification Sachsen Tour
3rd – Overall Classification Eneco Tour
5th – Olympic Games Road Race

2007:
2nd – Overall Classification Volta a Catalunya
7th – Overall Classification Tour of California

2006:
1st – Stage 3 Regio-Tour
9th – Overall Classification Tour de France

2005:
1st – World Time Trial Championship
2nd – Overall Classification Tour de Suisse
4th – Overall Classification Volta a Catalunya

Rogers victorious at the 2004 World Time Trial Championships. Photo by Sirotti
Rogers victorious at the 2004 World Time Trial Championships. Photo by Sirotti

2004:
1st – World Time Trial Championship
2nd – Firenze-Pistoia
3rd – Summer Olympics Men’s Road Race Time Trial
8th – Overall Classification Paris-Nice

2003:
1st – World Time Trial Championship
1st – Overall Classification Deutschland Tour + Stage 6
1st – Overall Classification Route du Sud + Stage 3
1st – Overall Classification Tour of Belgium

2002:
1st – Overall Classification Tour de Beauce
1st – Overall Classification Tour Down Under + Stage 2
2nd – ITT Commonwealth Games

2000:
1st – Stage 2 Tour Down Under
3rd – World U23 Time Trial Championship

1999:
2nd – World U23 Time Trial Championship

1998:
1st – Commonwealth Games 20 km Scratch Race
1st – Individual Pursuit National Track Championships

1997:
1st – Team Pursuit & Points Race Junior World Track Championships
2nd – World U19 Time Trial Championships

“It’s been a fun ride

Monday, April 25, 2016

My first recollection of professional cycling was in 1986, when I was seven years old.My family was new to cycling. At the time cycling in Australia was not a mainstream sport and the only way to follow the professional peloton was via magazine subscription. Luckily my elder brothers and I were the beneficiaries of VHS recordings of the Tour of Flanders, Paris- Roubaix and the complete 21 stages of the Tour de France, posted to us by my mother’s relatives in the Netherlands.

I don’t know how many hours I spent during my childhood years engrossed in what was happening on those tapes. During my early teens my mind was solely occupied with professional cycling, so much so that my default response to the friendly request, “Let’s go hang out at the shopping mall after school” offers was plain and simply: “No”. My post- school time had already been mapped out: rush home, have a quick snack, turn on the TV and study the nuances of yet another pro race. Team names such as PDM, Panasonic, RMO – just to name a few – were the subject of long discussion during family meals. I felt like I was put on earth to become a professional cyclist. It was my dream.

Sound like an interesting dream?

It became reality. I got the job. My professional cycling career spanned 16 years.

I was the first person in cycling history to win three consecutive professional world time trial championships. I won stages at the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. I represented Australia at four Olympic Games.

I worked on and off the bike with exceptionally smart and talented people, created lasting friendships, smiled and laughed lots, made a bunch of mistakes, cried myself to sleep a few times, travelled the world and learned to speak foreign languages. Did I mention that I had the time of my life? All of this thanks to one dream – to become a professional cyclist.

All great dreams eventually come to an end, and today it’s time to conclude mine by announcing my retirement from racing. Recent cardiac examinations have identified occurrences of heart arrhythmia which have never been detected beforehand. This latest diagnosis, added to the congenital heart condition I was diagnosed with in 2001, means that my competitive career must end. My last race being the Dubai Tour in February.

In hindsight I’m grateful my original cardiac condition, a malformation of the aortic valve, remained stable until recently, allowing me to compete from my humble beginnings in the Australian outback town of Griffith, all the way to top of the professional ranks. Whilst I’m disappointed to miss my 13th Tour de France and a chance to compete at my fifth Olympic Games, I’m not prepared to put my health in jeopardy. The opportunity of being a professional cyclist is that after retirement the challenge of a whole new career beckons. And even more importantly, I married the woman of my dreams 11 years ago, and together we are raising three particularly animated daughters.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my former team-mates, personnel and team managers from the respective teams I raced with. The endless amounts of fun we had together will always be at the forefront of my mind. Many of you have had, and continue to have, a big influence on my life. A further mention goes to my worldwide fan base. Your support during the good times and the bad is greatly appreciated. I’ll particularly miss the riders, personnel and management of Team Tinkoff. Owner Oleg Tinkov is by no means your typical cycling stereotype. He is a one-of-a-kind supporter of our sport and I hope he reconsiders his decision to leave cycling at the end of the year.

Lastly but not least, my biggest expression of gratitude belongs to my personal team – my wife Alessia, our three children, Sofia, Matilde and Emily, my parent Sonja and Ian and brothers Peter and Deane. Since leaving home at the age of 16, everything except cycling became second priority. Subsequently I missed almost every family occasion – happy and sad. While on the subject of family, I’m happy to see the youngest generation of the Rogers family starting their own journeys within the cycling world. I hope their childhood dreams become reality, like mine did.

Michael Rogers”

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