THE ONE THING THAT CHANGED IT ALL
It wasn’t one particular thing that made me retire from racing to study – it was a slow realisation that the world around me is changing… and I am too. Racing is a fantastic way to educate yourself about the world, but it’s also a brutal kind of learning. The podium, by nature, isn’t a spacious place – with room for only the best. There are also no franchise gigs in South Africa that allow you to pursue a ‘protected attempt’ at being a professional cyclist, like there are for rugby or cricket. One day you wake up and you’re 30 years old, with little other value to add to the world. And the requirements for finding a job - that is engaging and interesting - are even higher now than they’ve ever been. But leaving the sport is by no means the end. And I can always come back if I really miss it...