Kirchen to decide on his future next month

Image 1 of 4

Kim Kirchen has still not made a decision on whether or not he will continue his cycling career. He has once again denied rumours that he had ended his contract with Team Katusha.

“Whatever is being written has nothing to do with me. I will not decide about my future until December,” he told the Luxembourg newspaper Wort.

Kirchen, 32, suffered an apparent heart attack in his hotel room during the Tour de Suisse. After being reanimated, he was placed in an induced coma. He was later returned to hospital in his homeland of Luxembourg, being released just in time for the birth of his twin sons in July.

Since then, there have been reports that he planned to resume riding, but he has consistently denied that he has yet made a decision. Katusha manager Andrei Tchmil has said that he would not consider letting Kirchen ride for his team again, as it would be too dangerous, but that he would offer him a management position.

Kirchen turned pro in 2000 with De Nardi-Pasta Montegrappa. He rode for Fassa Bortolo, T-Mobile and Columbia-HTC before joining Katusha this year. His best year was 2008, when he won the national time trial title, two stages at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and one stage at the Tour de Suisse, as well as the Spring Classic Fleche Wallone. He finished seventh overall in the Tour de France that year, wearing the leader's yellow jersey for four stages.