Ziegler retires and opens bike shop

Former T-Mobile rider Thomas Ziegler has retired from professional cycling at the age of 27. "I had already decided in September not to ride the 2008 season as a pro," he told radsport-aktiv.de.

Ziegler, who lives in Hannover, Germany, will open a bike shop there to be called 'Saikls', in partnership with Rabobank's Grischa Niermann and Roman Jördens, a former GS-II and GS-III rider. "At first we wanted to run the shop in our spare time, but we quickly found out that wasn't a good idea if you don't have money to burn," he said. The shop is scheduled to open February 1.

Ziegler turned professional in 2002 with Team Wiesenhof. From 2003 to 2005 he rode for Gerolsteiner before joining T-Mobile in 2006. He had one professional victory, winning a stage in the Sachsen Tour in 2005.

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