"It's still a very important decision for me": Dutch talent receives many positive reactions upon early retirement
Cycling
This September, Ide Schelling surprised the cycling world with his final decision to retire from competition. At just 27 years of age, the Dutchman from XDS Astana Team has hung up his bike, much earlier than expected for a rider of his qualities.
When a rider retires at such a young age, it usually generates reactions of surprise. However, according to Ide Schelling himself in an interview with RIDE magazine, the former rider was surprised by the way the news of his end as a professional have been responded to.
"I didn't get any negative feedback; I didn't expect it. I thought people would wonder, 'What are you doing now?' That I had gone crazy. But I wasn't surprised. I also received reactions from the peloton, reactions of understanding. I'm not the only one who feels that way. Still, it's still a very important decision for me," Schelling began, noting.
"I understand why others think I'm going against the grain. I got a lot of nice messages, even from people I haven't talked to in a long time: former sports directors and coaches," he added.
The reaction from his former trainer
"My former coach, Henrik Werner, sent me an old photo from the third stage of the 2021 Tour de France. I had scored one more mountain point and then I was going to drop out of the peloton. I had to wait 4 minutes and then I went to the toilet with the people in the team car. I was next to the team leader and the mechanic. I had never seen that picture before, but I thought it was funny. It brought back a lot of memories. Henrik loved it," Ide Schelling said of his former coach's support.
XDS Astana Team has lost Ide Schelling after his retirement at the age of 27.
Finally, Ide Schelling concluded his remarks by answering the question of how he wants to be remembered by the fans: "By being myself. I think I've been a good addition to the peloton and I still am. People will remember me that way. I don't worry too much, because I feel that everything is going well," he said.
Schelling has retired from cycling with 3 victories as a pro: a stage win at the 2023 Itzulia, another at the 2023 Tour of Slovenia, and the 2021 GP des Kantons Aargau.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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