Ide Schelling has decided to end his professional cycling
career at just 27 years old. The Dutch rider, currently with XDS Astana after a
previous stint at BORA, revealed the news on the De Grote Plaat podcast. A
promising junior who finished 4th at Liège U23 in 2018 and 7th in the 2016
junior world road race, Schelling confirmed that his final race will be the
Tour of Holland in October, starting in his hometown of The Hague with a
prologue.
"I'm here to announce that I'm retiring as a WorldTour
rider. And that I'm no longer as in love with the world and life as I once
was," Schelling said. "For me, this is a very normal and logical
decision."
He explained how changes in the peloton influenced his
decision. "A lot has changed in the peloton since I turned pro in 2020.
All those changes have also meant that the overall level of the peloton has
increased so much that sometimes I feel like I can't compete anymore."
Despite memorable highlights, including a stage victory at
the Itzulia Basque Country in 2023, he admitted the pace of modern racing left
him struggling. "I don't have a particularly big engine. I know that about
myself, but you need such a big engine these days to compete in a final. It's a
fast race all the way, from start to finish. Because of that, I feel like I'm
not really competing anymore. But I think that's important."
Schelling’s ride at the 2024 Vuelta also shaped his outlook.
"I rode some fantastic performances for my standards, but I was knocked
out of the top fifteen," he recalled. "Then it became clear to me. I
didn't want to do this for the next five to ten years."
Time away from the sport was another factor. "It
definitely also played a role that when you have to dedicate so much time to
your sport, it's almost impossible to combine it with a life outside of
it," he said. "I love a lot of things besides cycling. If you only
have a few weeks a year to do that, I personally think that's not enough."
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Looking forward, Schelling shared his hopes for life after
the WorldTour. "I'd love to learn how to garden, have allotments, maybe
even create a food forest. I hope to find a way to still be active on the bike.
I also hope to continue racing, but maybe only half the year instead of eleven
months. A nice mix of fixed gear and gravel, for example."
Reflecting on his career, he said he had already exceeded
his own expectations. "When I turned pro, I didn't necessarily think I
would win a race or be a truly great rider. I wondered if I would ever go to
the Tour. But that happened a year later, with a starring role in the first
week. It was truly very, very special."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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