Dierckxsens retires

After spending a good part of the European winter waiting for a contract agreement to be made, Belgian rider Ludo Dierckxsens has finally decided to finish his career as a professional cyclist. The 40 year-old had wanted to continue racing, but his contract with former employer Landbouwkrediet-Colnago was not renewed. Other negotiations with teams like MrBookmaker.com-SportsTech were not successful.

A late starter, Dierckxsens entered the pro peloton in 1994. His main victories include Pais-Bourges in 1998, a stage win at the Tour de France 1999 and the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise in 2003. In 1998, he also won the Belgian road championships.