Wesemann takes his leave

Steffen Wesemann is leaving pro cycling, saying goodbye with a farewell race in his former German home of Wolmirstadt on Saturday, October 4. The 37 year-old has been a pro since 1992.

Wesemann turned professional that year with Team Telekom, and he stayed with the squad through the 2006 season. He rode for Team Wiesenhof-Felt for a year, and this year was with Cycle Collstrop, but has not ridden any races since the Ster Elektrotoer in June. In his career, he won the Peace Race overall title five times and the Ronde van Vlaanderen in 2005, and can point to a number of other top five finishes in the Spring Classics. In 2005 he took on Swiss citizenship, after living in Switzerland for a number of years.

"In the spring I noticed that for the first time in my career I just wasn't interested in racing any more," he told Radsport News. "Every rider has that now and then, but for me it just wouldn't go away."

He is planning an elaborate farewell, on a day which starts with a U13 race and ends with an "everyman" race which will include many current and former pros, including his former teammate Jan Ullrich.

In the future, Wesemann plans to continue his work as a rider manager, working with Tony Rominger.