Carlström facing retirement after 10 years

Kjell Carlström, one of only two Finns in the pro peloton, has announced his probable retirement. His contract with Team Sky was not renewed and he has so far not found a new team for 2012.

“I was poorly prepared for this. Even in the summer I was fairly confident that something could be found,” he told yle.fi. “I still expected that I would get a professional contract somewhere in the world. It is, however, a rather small probability.”

It is a big disappointment, the 35-year-old admitted, “but I have a 10-year career behind me. You have to stop some time.”

Carlström may still ride in national-level races. “That is not an impossibility. I have not yet thought about it. It depends quite a lot on what I do for a living and how much time the training takes.”

He rode most of his career with Italian teams – Amore e Vita from 2002 to 2004, and Liquigas-Bianchi from 2005 to 2009. He was with Team Sky in 2010 and 2011.

The Finn won his national road title three times in his career, including this year.  His other wins include one stage at Paris-Nice in 2008. During his career he rode each of the Grand Tours three times.