Bauer steps off bike after more than decade on Worldtour
One of the most respected and popular riders in the World Tour peloton, Kiwi Jack Bauer has officially called time on his lengthy professional career.
The 38-year-old had hoped to continue for a final season, but has now confirmed his retirement from the sport.
Bauer enjoyed 14 years as a professional, 11 years on the World Tour, highlighted with a top-10 in the road race at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the 2012 London Olympic Games; a silver medal in the road race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow behind Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas; and victories including two National road titles, the Japan Cup in 2013 and the
Prologue at the Herald Sun Tour in 2014.
He is perhaps most remembered for his remarkable performance in the Tour de France 10 years ago, when he broke away with one other rider on the 15th stage, staying clear for 220km. Just when the win was likely, the peloton rushed home to catch the Kiwi within a few metres of the line.
Bauer, brought up in Golden Bay, was a prominent mountain biker who completed a PE Degree at Otago University before working in the gym industry and spending a year on the bike as a cycle courier in Wellington.
It was suggested that to realise his ability on the bike, he would need to gain experience in Europe. Without background or help, he spent time in amateur racing in Belgium in 2009 before picking up a contract with Ukbased
Endura Racing. He returned home in 2010 to win the national road championship in Christchurch, outlasting leading pros Julian Dean and Hayden Roulston.
“The guy I was staying with in Gent had a connection to Alan Peiper, a sports director with High Road. He arranged to get me in a lab with one of their sports scientists.”
Through Peiper he ended up with the British team for two years.
Two years later at the Tour of Britain, Bauer met Peiper, who was moving to the Garmin team.
“I was having a good week at the Tour of Britain, when Peiper rolled down the window of his car during the race, and said there was an opening in Garmin.
“I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Things went well straight away with a good ride in the Tour Downunder, and I got a start at the Giro where we had an overall win with Ryder Hesjedal. That put me on the map, and got me a look-in with Cycling New Zealand for the London Games.”
It was a meteoric rise to the World Tour for the Kiwi including his first Grand Tour at the Giro D’italia in 2012 and the Tour de France for the next three years. This included his first Grand Tour victory in the Team Time Trial at the Giro in 2012, but on the downside, breaking his femur in a crash in the 2015 Tour de France.
Bauer moved to Belgium-based ●uick Step Floors, before being approached by Shayne Bannon to join the Australian-based World Tour team Orica Scott, which became Mitchelton Scott, until the end of 2022.
“Things have changed. Teams do not necessarily value age or experience anymore, and as time passes and you lose that punch, that’s really the main thing you can offer,” said Bauer.
Bauer will continue to support his wife Sarah, a former Australian cyclist, and burgeoning photographer and with their three children in Spain.