Tom Dumoulin: I was closer to stopping than continuing my career

Tour de France 2020 - 107th Edition - 16th stage Grenoble - Meribel - Col de la Loze 170 km - 16/09/2020 - Tom Dumoulin (NED - Team Jumbo - Visma) - photo POOL/BettiniPhoto©2020
Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma) at the finish of stage 16 of the Tour de France in Villard-de-Lans (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Tom Dumoulin has admitted that he came closer to quitting cycling than continuing after a spate of issues kept him away from racing for over a year before making his long-awaited Jumbo-Visma debut at the Tour de l'Ain.

The Dutchman, fresh off a ride to seventh place overall at the Tour de France, said after the race finish in Paris that he had considered leaving the sport behind earlier this year.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.