Former Tour de France mountains jersey winner Anthony Charteau has decided to call an end to his career, with the 34 year oldest to hang up his wheels after contesting the Tour de Vandée on October 6th.
The French rider is at an age when several others carry on, but he showed family reasons as top factor in his decision.
Recently, he told that the idea of stopping has been running through his head since previous winter. He loves this sport, but it has started to cost him. He feels like he as have not seen his kids grow up. The pattern of races leaves very less chance for riders of his kind, the baroudeurs. He could not go back to his 2010 level.
That 2010 season was Anthony Charteau’s best season, with the cyclist receiving the King of the Mountains jersey in Tour de France. He also took the 1st in a series of 3 overall victories in Tropicale Amissa Bongo cycle race. Even though, he also became victorious in the African event in year 2011 and 2012, and took other victories such as a stage in Route du Sud 2011 as well as win this year on stage – 4 of Tour de Normanie, he has been less visible.
Charteau also did not complete the Tour de France since the year 2011. That year he helped his teammate Thomas Voeckler to defend the yellow jersey for most of the race. Charteau knows quite well that his cyclking career has been waning, and he wants to go out rather than stay for long time. He told that he want to stop with the memory that he did not do 1 season too much.