Former CCC and W52-FC Porto climber Amaro Antunes announces retirement

Former World Tour rider, the Portuguese 32 years old Amaro Antunes who raced between 2018 and 2019 in the CCC Team (2018 Pro Continental division and 2019 World Tour division) has announced his retirement in social media on a post in his personal Instagram page.

“Last spring, the untimely death of my mother and the criminal case Prova Limpa involving the W52 FC Porto team that I represented. Now, as far as I am concerned, filed, caused me to lose all motivation and the taste for training, indispensable to face another season at the fullness of my capabilities” stated the Portuguese on his personal Instagram invoking the reasons behind his retirement.

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Amaro Antunes was actually one of the few who weren't accused or suspended in this doping scandal that involved the W52-FC Porto team. The veteran climber in fact already had a team for this 2023 season. It was announced his sign for ABTF Betão - Feirense another Portuguese team of the Continental Division, and it was expected that Antunes would continue his professional career there.

But the veteran rider changed his mind, and he takes to end his 12 years career, “Even if the farewell is not the way I had envisioned, I look back on my career with pride. I worked hard, with a lot of passion and pleasure, and I achieved remarkable results, both in Portugal and at the top level of the World Tour. Now it's time to enjoy other things in life and to be present for the people I love the most” he stated.

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In his 12 years career Antunes managed to get 12 professional victories, with highlight on his 2021 Volta a Portugal general classification win, a race he also won in 2020 in a special edition of the race. The Tour of Malopolska in Poland, the GP Jornal de Noticias and the 5th stage of 2017 Volta ao Algarve edition (winning against names like Benoot, Kwiatkowski and Roglic) were also one of his best wins. Although, the top moment of his career was his presence in 2019 Giro d'Italia, a race where he finished 54 overall and managed to finish 3rd in the 19 stage in a breakaway that lead to Esteban Chaves win.

Amaro was always looked up on by the Portuguese fans has one of the most promising climbers. His 2017 stage win in Algarve clearly showed he got skills to be at a higher level, and he indeed got into World Tour. But things didn't go that well, making him a bit of an eternal promise who could have a better career internationally. He finishes his statement by saying “I hope and wish, given the latest events, that a new era of Cycling may emerge in Portugal”.

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