Thomas de Gendt announces 2024 will be his final year before retirement

Thomas de Gendt has announced that 2024 will be his final season in the peloton after sixteen years competing at the very highest level.

In an announcement on his official X (Twitter) account, the recently turned 37-year-old Belgian said, "2024 will be the start of my 16th and final season as a pro. My big goals are a 6th stage win in Volta Catalunya and a 2nd stage win in Vuelta a Espana. But above all, enjoying every race i will do in my final year."

De Gendt first really burst into the consciousness of many cycling fans at the 2012 Giro d'Italia. His second career Grand Tour at the time, the Belgian won a stage en route to finishing 3rd overall in the general classification.

Although in the years that followed, de Gendt would switch from GC challenger to stage hunter, the longtime servant of Lotto Dstny/Lotto Soudal would develop into one of the most exciting riders in the peloton. With a total of five Grand Tour stage wins to his name, and the King of the Mountains jersey from the 2018 Vuelta a Espana, you wouldn't bet against one final big win in 2024.