"Most patients with this don’t even get out of bed" - Former Israel - Premier Tech retires from cycling at the age of 24
Cycling
Mason Hollyman (24) spent two seasons at the highest level of cycling with Israel - Premier Tech, but was unable to find his place at the professional level due to severe allergies. Ultimately, the health complications became too much to handle along with having a professional career for the Brit.
"I’ve decided to step away from professional cycling," he said in a YouTube video titled 'Why I Quit Pro Cycling'. "It’s been a difficult few years for me. I’ve struggled badly with allergies. I guess it’s not something you’d think would end someone’s career, but in my case it’s taken quite a big hit on me."
"I’ve suffered a lot for the last two or three years from them now. To be honest, it’s made me think more and think deeply about what I’m doing, and question my love for racing specifically. I’ve come to the decision to stop."
"After some tests, it revealed that the IG – the inflammation brought on from allergies – was an incredible number. I remember the doctor telling me most patients he had seen with this don’t get out of bed for their nine-to-five office jobs in the morning. That was me after DNF’ing stage four of the Tour de Romandie," Hollyman said.
"I guess it showed there was a serious issue there that needed solving. We managed to get it to a decent level, but still not really where it should be to be a professional cyclist. As we all know, the one or two per cent [of performance] that you’re losing is the difference between winning and losing. Maybe I was losing even more than that."
Mason Hollyman made a strong impression as junior which landed him a contract in the Israel Cycling Academy in 2020. From there, the path led to the main team Israel - Premier Tech where he spent two seasons. Over that period, the Brit scored one professional victory - winning the second stage of Tour de Taiwan in 2024.
But it was also a difficult period marked by multiple abandons and eventually Hollyman was unable to land a contract anywhere better than in the Portuguese Continental team Anicolor / Tien 21 (formerly known as Sabgal or Efapel). When the results and form didn't come halfway through 2025, the 24-year-old made the hard decision to stop.
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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