Sep Vanmarcke reveals reason behind his sudden retirement: "If I keep riding, the tissue could grow and lead to heart failure in the future"

Sad news came at the of last week when Israel - Premier Tech announced that their leader Sep Vanmarcke is forced to retire with immedaite effect. One of the best classics riders of his generation won Bretagne Classic, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, finished Paris-Roubaix 2nd and was 3rd at Ronde van Vlaanderen twice over the course of his long career as a pro.

At 34, the Belgian rider suffers from heart problems, discovered at the end of June following tests carried out after the Belgian Championship. Examinations that revealed the presence of scar tissue on his heart.

"If I keep riding, the tissue could grow and lead to heart failure in the future. It's a terribly painful and abrupt decision, but there is no other option..." he explained in a message posted on Instagram.