After a prolific career with over 80 victories on the road and track, Giorgia Bronzini has decided she will retire at the end of the season and start 2019 in the role as director for the new Trek Women’s road team.
The Italian joins Ina Teutenberg in directing the Trek team, giving the new squad two of the most decorated women cyclists in history leading them.
After five seasons with Wiggle-Honda, Bronzini joined the American team Cylance for 2018, hoping the change would be a new level of motivation to keep the fire burning a little longer. However, having already hinted this season may be the last, she finally made the decision to hang up her wheels.
“I am retiring from the races because I feel now is the time,” said Bronzini. “I really still enjoy the racing, but what I am finding heavy is all the training.”
Bronzini turned professional in 2003 and over the next decade became a dominant sprinter in the women’s pro peloton. Her most memorable results include three World Championship titles (two consecutive victories on the road in 2010-2011 and one on the track in the Points Race in 2009), and she has won stages, and one-day races, in some of the biggest events on the UCI calendar.
As the wins became sparser over the last two seasons, Bronzini, a natural road captain, found herself embracing the role of mentoring younger riders. The thought of transferring into a director’s position was something she had been considering – she had already announced she would take the UCI’s directeur sportif course in December – and when the door opened with Trek, her decision was swift.
“I’m glad to start my new experience with Trek alongside one of my idols Ina Teutenberg. I am excited to pass on all my experience to the riders and help them find a balance to enjoy racing while also being focused to archive good results,” added Bronzini. “It is hard to leave the racing behind, I have many great memories, but I am happy I can continue in cycling. I have so much to give back; I want to pass this on.”
