Bodrogi facing retirement after two years with Type 1-Sanofi

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Lazlo Bodrogi turned professional in 1999 and has raced in top division teams since signing with Mapei-Quickstep in 2000. It’s only been in the past two seasons, riding for Team Type 1-Sanofi that the Hungarian turned French citizen faced the challenges of riding for a Professional Continental squad. Now the 35-year-old faces possible retirement after Type 1 signalled their intention to not renew his contract in 2013.

Bodrogi has ridden for Quickstep - Davitamon, Crédit Agricole and Katusha before signing with Type 1 at the end of the 2010 season. His biggest results may be behind him but with multiple Hungarian national time trial and road titles and overall victories at the Tour of Luxembourg and Tour of Austria he’s got the experience to support a team at the highest level.

Part of Bodrogi’s dilemma is not necessarily concerned with results although the oldest member of the team is yet to deliver a victory in the past two seasons. Bodrogi, like a number of his current teammates will not be continuing with the US-based squad as they reportedly intend of fulfilling a roster with solely riders with Type 1 diabetes.

"I received word from my employer, informing me that I will be contractually free from December 31. So far I have received only negative responses of teams that can accommodate me. These are often the same arguments: ‘too old’," Bodrogi told Velochrono in an interview.

With no new offers on the table Bodrogi hopes that a repeat performance of 2011, where he placed 5th at Paris-Tours, will net him a much needed contract. If not, it looks like he will go into the off-season with the intention of hanging up the bike earlier than he would have liked.

"I hope to spend fifteen years in the pro ranks before I let go of it. If I do not have a contract, I will no longer persist. But for now I am motivated, I can still get good results," he said.

"Soon I’ll turn 36 but I feel capable of doing two or three seasons. With the motivation I have, I am often on the attack, I have the experience to help teammates and I gain results like the Tour de Poitou-Charentes where I go on podium [placing third overall]. I always feel able to make findings or win some races," he said.