“Then you’ll probably read my farewell letter” - Former Fleche Wallonne winner fears forced retirement after possible final Monument
Cycling
Dylan Teuns may have ridden the final Monument of his professional career at Il Lombardia on Saturday, with the 34-year-old still without a contract for 2027 and only one negotiation remaining over his future.
Teuns finished 108th in Como, 18:33 behind winner Paul Seixas, on a day that could eventually prove to have been his last appearance in one of cycling’s five Monuments.
Before the start, he told Sporza that his two-year spell with Cofidis will end after this season and that the list of possible destinations has now narrowed considerably.
“There is still one conversation ongoing, and that is the last one,” Teuns said. “I’ll give it until the end of October, maximum.”
Dylan Teuns in action
One last chance to extend his career
The uncertainty comes after a difficult 18 months for a rider whose palmares includes victory at Fleche Wallonne in 2022, Tour de France stage wins at La Planche des Belles Filles in 2019 and Le Grand-Bornand in 2021, and third place at Il Lombardia in 2018.
“I haven’t had the best year and a half, but I do think that over the last few months I’ve been performing at a decent level again,” Teuns said before Saturday’s race.
There has been some evidence of that improvement. He finished 11th at Bretagne Classic in August, ninth at the Grand Prix de Wallonie in September and sixth overall at the CRO Race before heading into the final Italian races of his season.
Teuns is also no longer insisting that his next team offers him the kind of leadership opportunities he enjoyed during the strongest years of his career. “That is the approach I’ve passed on to my management,” he explained. “I don’t need to be the leader anymore. I still have the experience for that, but the young guys are desperate to do it.”
At 34, that willingness to move into a supporting role could broaden the options available to him, but there is now only one active discussion left. “We’ll see whether something still comes up or not,” Teuns said. “It does create a bit of stress, but over the last few weeks I’ve tried to enjoy it as much as possible.”
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End of October deadline
Lombardia did not provide the kind of result that might suddenly change the picture. Teuns came home well down the field as Seixas claimed his first Monument victory, leaving the Belgian with a few weeks rather than another major performance to resolve his future.
Asked by Sporza what would happen if that final negotiation also falls through, Teuns was clear about how little appetite he has to stop racing voluntarily. “Thirty-four is not an age to stop, but if they force me, there’s no other option. Then you’ll probably read my farewell letter.”
Eight years after standing on the podium at Il Lombardia, Teuns left Como in 108th place with one conversation still open. By the end of October, he expects to know whether that was his final Monument.
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.
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