Highly decorated Australian rider hangs up her wheels
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Katrin Garfoot with the Australian flag in celebration of her TT gold medal(Image credit: Getty Images)
Linda Villumsen (New Zealand), Katrin Garfoot (Australia) and Hayley Simmonds (England)(Image credit: Getty Images)
Katrin Garfoot (Australia) receiving a helping hand to take off her helmet(Image credit: Getty Images)
Kat Garfoot and Rachel Neylan prepare for the stage(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Australian rider Katrin Garfoot has announced her retirement with immediate effect. German-born Garfoot, 36, turned to cycling aged 29 and despite being a late entrant into the sport became one of the most successful time trial riders of her time. She won a silver in the Worlds road race last year and took bronze in the time trial event. The three-time national time trial champion bowed out with a gold medal in the time trial at the Commonwealth Games in April of this year.
"I am content with my journey over the past few years. I thank everyone involved and everyone who supported me," Garfoot announced in a press release issued by Cycling Australia.
"After the Commonwealth Games I wanted to see if life swept me up and it sort of has. I did not feel like training anymore. My cycling career was an intense time for me and now I want to enjoy life with my friends and family. A lot of people asked me 'what comes next for you'. I am not certain of what that is, but I am taking my time to mull over some ideas and see what comes of it."
Garfoot turned professional with Orica-AIS in 2014 and remained with the team throughout her short but highly decorated career. Although she scaled back her racing schedule at the start of this year to include only home-based events she went on to win her third national time trial title before winning a stage and finishing third in the Santos Women's Tour. Her win in the Commonwealth Games time trial was followed by 13th in the road race in which she helped Chloe Hosking take the gold.
Cycling Australia CEO Steve Drake led the tributes for Garfoot.
"From her first race with her local club to the absolute pinnacle representing her adopted country at the Olympic and World Championships, Kat has had an amazing cycling journey. While Kat's international results are worthy of high praise, it is her passion, dedication and commitment to excellence that will be her lasting legacy.
"Kat is clearly a gifted athlete, but she has also provided a great example to women that it is never too late to try competitive cycling. We wish Kat all the best in the next chapter of her life and we hope to see her around a bike race very soon."
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