“That was definitely the last time” - Canadian veteran of five Tours de France announces retirement after unexpected home Worlds farewell
Cycling
Guillaume Boivin had not expected to get a farewell like this. Initially left out of Canada’s team for the Montreal World Championships, the 37-year-old spent more than 140km in Sunday’s breakaway before greeting the home crowd and confirming that his professional career will end this season.
The Canadian had returned to Europe after September’s Quebec and Montreal Grands Prix, with no NSN contract for 2027 and a decision to make about his future. An unexpected vacancy in the Worlds squad brought him back to the roads where he grew up.
“That was definitely the last time you’ll see me racing through the streets of Montréal before retiring at the end of the season. As for the rest, it depends a bit on the last two or three weeks. It was a process getting here,” Boivin told media, including Cycling News, after the race.
Boivin in action in Montreal
Two crashes and a missed Tour
Boivin’s final season had already taken several painful turns. In April, he fractured his left shoulder blade in a heavy crash in the Arenberg Forest at Paris-Roubaix. He returned to racing, only to suffer another serious fall on the final stage of June’s Baloise Belgium Tour.
That second crash required surgery on his left shoulder and ruled him out of the Tour de France, despite having already secured his place in the team. After five consecutive appearances, he missed what would have been his sixth Tour.
The home World Championships became a target during his recovery, but he was absent from Canada’s initial selection. As recently as 10 September, he was still considering another season, reluctant to finish after injuries had taken so much out of this one.
His chance came when Derek Gee-West withdrew following a crash at the Grand Prix de Montreal. Gee-West personally called Boivin, who made another journey across the Atlantic to take his place.
On Sunday, he joined the early escape alongside NSN teammate Biniam Girmay, riding through familiar villages before reaching the Montreal circuit. He remained ahead of the peloton for several laps, then high-fived spectators on Cote Polytechnique after the break was caught.
Read also
A decision on the Oude Kwaremont
Boivin had settled his future before the Worlds invitation arrived.
Back in Belgium after the Canadian races, he headed out to the Oude Kwaremont, his favourite Flemish climb. Riding its cobbles in the evening sunshine, he found himself comfortable with a decision that had occupied him for weeks. “Well, it's over, it's okay,” he recalled thinking.
In Montreal, he added: “I’ve lived everything I was meant to experience.”
His first World Championships medal had come 16 years earlier in Australia. Boivin shared U23 bronze with Taylor Phinney after the photo finish could not separate them, behind winner Michael Matthews and runner-up John Degenkolb.
He went on to ride for Cannondale and Optum before joining Cycling Academy in 2016. Over the next 11 seasons, he stayed with the organisation as it grew through its various identities into NSN, becoming a trusted rider for protecting leaders and positioning sprinters.
Along the way came Canadian elite road titles in 2015 and 2021, following his U23 title and outright victory in the combined national championship race in 2009. He also won the Famenne Ardenne Classic in 2018.
Racing with Van der Poel and Colbrelli in the Roubaix mud
His biggest opportunity in a Monument came at Paris-Roubaix in 2021. Wearing the Canadian champion’s jersey, Boivin followed Mathieu van der Poel and eventual winner Sonny Colbrelli into the decisive action. A crash on Camphin-en-Pevele inside the final 20km ended his podium challenge, but he still reached the velodrome in ninth, alongside teammate Tom Van Asbroeck in eighth.
That season also brought his first Tour de France and an Olympic appearance in Tokyo, where he helped Michael Woods finish fifth. His five Tour starts, alongside two apiece at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, took him to nine Grand Tour appearances.
There may yet be a few more race days. Boivin had previously identified Paris-Tours as his intended season finale, although he left his remaining programme open when speaking in Montreal.
Beyond that, he expects to retain a connection with the sport. “I’m confident you’ll still see me involved in cycling. We also plan to stay in Europe for a little bit,” he told Canadian Cycling Magazine.
He also has another sport to return to. Having originally taken up cycling to stay fit for ice hockey, Boivin said in Montreal that he was particularly looking forward to playing again.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment