"Professional cycling is extremely demanding — both mentally and physically" - João Almeida understands Tadej Pogacar's hint at early retirement

Tadej Pogacar's words during the final week of the 2025 Tour de France have reignited the debate surrounding the longevity of careers in professional cycling. The issue of exhaustion, both psychological and competitive, also became a topic of reflection among his fellow riders in the peloton.

In a recent interview with A Bola, one of those riders, the world champion's UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammate João Almeida, reflected on Pogacar’s remarks and acknowledged that such moments of introspection are almost inevitable in the sport: "Those words come naturally — it’s an enormous effort, there are many sacrifices. It’s also been a long season. That kind of mental fatigue is only natural. But we’re also getting older. We started very young and, over the years, you find yourself gradually getting closer to retirement, even if you don’t yet know exactly when that moment will come."

"You start thinking and weighing up when the right time might be. Most riders have a rough idea of when they’d like to call it a day, but they almost always change their minds and keep postponing, postponing, postponing the year they’ll finally retire," adds the Portuguese star. "It’s a life we love. Everyone in this sport is here because they’re truly passionate about it. We’ve built our lives around cycling, and sometimes it’s hard to let go of this world."

The cyclist went on to emphasise that the tension between a love for competition and the toll it takes is a constant presence within the peloton. The recent retirement of Michael Woods, who highlighted concerns around health and family sacrifices in his farewell statement, serves as a clear example for many riders beginning to question what lies ahead. "Yes, exactly. Professional cycling is extremely demanding," agrees Almeida. "Both mentally and physically — and sooner or later we all come to realise when it’s the right time to hang up the boots, as they say, and move on to the next chapter of life."

A career in professional cycling demands years of total commitment, strict daily discipline, and a string of personal sacrifices. The fact that many riders "started young" makes it almost inevitable that thoughts of retirement also come earlier than in other professions. Even so, balancing the desire to extend their passion with the need to protect their health and personal lives makes the final decision anything but straightforward.