John-Lee Augustyn announces second and final retirement

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Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung's John-Lee Augustyn has announced his retirement from cycling with immediate effect. The 27-year-old had previously retired from cycling due to long last effects from a crash at the 2007 Tour of Portugal.

Augustyn underwent a successful Birmingham Hip Resurfacing procedure of his left hip in 2011 to repair damage caused by avascular necrosis of the femoral head following his 2007 crash.

Augustyn rode for Team Sky in 2010 and 2011 and spent the 2012 season with Utensilnord Named. After the hip operation and rehabilitation program, Augustyn aimed on returning to the WorldTour and in February said that he believed his injury troubles to be behind him.

Having made contact with MTN-Qhubeka during 2013, and given his African origins, grand tour experience and performance record, after a comprehensive medical assessment by our team doctor Dr Jon Patricios and consultant specialists, management signed him for the 2014 season.

Despite rest and rehabilitation exercises, a change in bike fit to be less aggressive and more upright position, medical intervention and 2-months of recovery and rehabilitation, extensive consultation with MTN'-Qhubeka's medical team and his personal medical doctors, Augustyn decided to end his cycling career.

I have had a hard time over the last few years in my cycling career suffering with on-going injuries," Augustyn said. "I decided to take an indefinite break for about a year and I then started riding again and the bug bit really bad to get back to racing. I think it’s in every Pro cyclist to race and we get used to it, it’s a strange but addictive life style.

"Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung has given me an opportunity to get back to racing with the best in the world, I was super motivated to get back to the top again and obviously this takes a lot of sacrifices along with a lot of hard work."

Augustyn rode five races for the team, including the South African national road race but only managed to finish one of them. He started with La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in January, followed by the South African National Championships and Le Tour de Langkawi. It was at the Malaysian race that Augustan developed disabling right knee pain, forcing him to abandon after six stages.

He was assessed by the team’s on-site doctor, Dr Jarrad Van Zuydam and returned to Italy consulted with sports medicine specialists. The knee pain was determined as secondary to biomechanical instability from progressive fatigue and weakness of the muscles controlling and supporting the left hip joint.

"I slowly got back into the rhythm of racing, I still have the experience of racing in the bunch and up at the front but I can feel that I am not the same anymore. It’s only something a Pro rider can feel and understand. To be honest I have really been struggling to get back into it again especially with a hip resurfacing, it is not easy," Augustyn said.

"I can train for hours and hours, my leg feels like a normal leg but as soon as I start to race hard up at the front on the Pro level I just struggle and keep on injuring myself, particularly in the cold conditions. This mentally can break you, I have learnt to pick myself back up many times but after 6 years of struggling it becomes hard. I have a family to support and I am ready now to sadly move on and build a more stable future.

"I still have a big passion for cycling and I will continue to stay in the cycling world and support this beautiful sport. I will definitely continue to ride my bike on and off road."

Augustyn expressed his gratitude for all the support and help he has received throughout his career, including Team Principal, Douglas Ryder for giving him the chance to resume his racing career.

"I really have to thank all the people that have played a big role in my cycling career, always motivating me, for getting me back into shape, helping me through the tears and pain and in the times I didn’t want to listen. Without them I would not have gotten to where I am. These people know who they are, there are simply too many to mention," Augustyn said.

"A special thank you to Douglas Ryder and MTN though for giving me the chance to race on this amazing team, they gave me all the support I needed. Thanks also to Dr Jeroen Swart my personal coach for all the years that he has mentored and continued to support me all the way through my difficult path, his knowledge is beyond this world and then also to Robert Hunter, for all his advice and never stop believing spirit. I could not have asked for better people to support me."

While Augustyn won't be pinning on a race number anytime soon, Ryder expressed his desire to see the former Barloworld rider remain in the sport and had no regrets about the signing.
"We were happy to give John-Lee the opportunity in Team MTN-Qhubeka powered by Samsung," Ryder said. "There are not many South African riders that have ridden all three Grand Tours and have the experience John-Lee has. In the short time he has been on the team he has helped the riders adapt in the racing and given them plenty of good advice.

"John-Lee really wanted to be able to race at the highest levels of the sport again and we hoped the same for him. I hope to see him back in cycling in the future in a role where he can continue to add value like he has."