American rider Alex Howes announces retirement: "Hardest thing for me is being away from home"

The American cyclist Alex Howes announced his retirement from professional cycling.

It was a personal decision for him to end a career that had lasted more than a decade. “I still love racing. I love the feeling of racing. I like the training. I still have a lot of fun around it. But the hardest thing for me is traveling and being away from home,” said Howes.

With a smile on his face, he is grateful that he did not have to end his career due to injury or by being out of contract. “I feel very fortunate in that I get to step away from the WorldTour with a smile on my face. I’m happy. I don’t think many people get to feel that way when they stop racing at the WorldTour level. It’s usually not their choice, or if it is their choice they are choosing it for more difficult reasons.”

His achievements include the National Championships in 2019, the third stage of the Tour of Alberta, the second stage of the Colorado Classic in 2017, and the seventh stage of the USA Pro Challenge in 2014.

It's a time for him to relax and spend time with his family. “I’ll be kicking around America next year with the wife and kiddo and cruising around with a truck and a trailer. The alternative calendar is no longer going to be alternative for me,” concludes Howes.