Vasseur prepares for final race

The Giro di Lombardia will be the final race of Cedric Vasseur's 14 year professional career. The 37 year-old has 20 wins, including two Tour de France stages and a five-day stint in the 1997 race, to his credit.

"Lombardia is one of my favourite races," Vasseur said. "This will be the tenth time I have taken part in it. Finishing my career at the Lombardia is something special for me especially as I'll also be riding alongside World Champion Paolo Bettini. I'm on pretty good form and hope to be useful for the team toward helping Bettini win the race."

"It will certainly be an emotional moment for me both at the start and finish of the race but thanks to my victory at this year's Tour [de France] during the Marseille stage, I'll be hanging up my cycling shoes with the knowledge that this sport has given me," said Vasseur.

"I have given it a lot during these years as a professional. I'd like to thank my team and team manager Patrick Lefevere who gave me the opportunity to race my final years in such a top class team like the Quick.Step - Innergetic."

After his retirement from racing, it looks like Vasseur will continue his involvement in cycling through the Professional Cycling Association (CPA). "I'd like to continue this role [in the organization] which I enjoy immensely. These past few years have been tough for cycling on the whole. I want to continue working with the C.P.A. in order to give a new image to this sport using my many years of experience as a professional. I think I can be useful in this respect of re-evaluating our sport."