"I just couldn't do it anymore" - Tom Dumoulin on why he retired, Visma, Pogacar and van der Poel

Tom Dumoulin is one of the most talented riders of the past generations and has achieved more than most could ever dream of. However it was the change in professionalism of the sport and different requirements that slowly drained the Dutchman from his motivation to continue racing and led to an early retirement.

It was the opposite of his early career years at the Shimano/Sunweb team. "Maybe that's where the spark was ignited, yes. In my first years as a professional, it felt like a dream come true. I remember the first Tour with Argos-Shimano when we won four stages with Marcel Kittel," Dumoulin said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. "I had a strong role in the sprint train, and in all the other stages, I could do what I wanted and discover my abilities. I can now say that was the most enjoyable and best time of my career."

By the time he retired in mid-2022, he was on the complete side of the spectrum. "I just couldn't do it anymore. I wasn't getting any satisfaction out of it. I was just a performer. The dietitian told me what to eat. The trainer told me how to train and where to race. Without asking, how do you feel about that, or how do you feel about it? That's where I got stuck."

Dumoulin turned pro in 2012 and remained with Sunweb until 2019. "In the early years, everyone gave me pieces of the puzzle, my trainer and the dietitian. I threw myself into it with full enthusiasm: okay, the coach says interval training; how will I fit that into my schedule? At that moment, I felt like I was assembling my career puzzle. But in the end, I had become a piece in someone else's puzzle."

With a Giro d'Italia victory, Tour de France podium, Time-Trial World title and many other stories of success, the Dutchman had the legs and the heat to be very successful in the sport. However the continuous search for more marginal gains in the sport and increase in the demands for a pro rider became a big obstacle.

Not a matter of losing his performance, but often it was possible to see that in the stage-races and Grand Tours he had not taken the leap that other riders managed to. This is something that's happened with several other riders - whilst some riders Dumoulin beat in his generation currently climb at much superior levels.

"The best riders today are indeed those who find that balance best. Pogacar and Van der Poel joined a team at a young age and were encouraged to listen to their instincts. Mathieu still has a considerable amount of autonomy," he argues on his compatriot. "He eats healthily and uses all the science available but decides which races he will and will not ride."

Visma also have a lot of success due to their hunt for all details, but this did become a difficulty at times for Dumoulin. "With their data-driven approach, they have achieved huge success for several years. That approach certainly works for some riders. It is challenging for Visma to find the right balance between data, science, and human coaching."