Mara Abbott announces retirement from professional cycling

American Mara Abbott first announced her retirement from professional bike racing in a blog posted in the Wall Street Journal following the Olympic Games in Rio in August. The 30-year-old was a heartbreaking fourth in women's road race, which was her final event as a professional cyclist.

She was recently a part of a public speaking engagement at TEDX Boulder.

During her 10-year career, Abbott enjoyed overall victories at the Giro Rosa in 2010 and 2013, the Tour of the Gila, Vuelta a El Salvador, Redlands Bicycle Classic, and twice won the US national road title.

During her TEDX speech, Abbott explained she tried to put the Olympic Games result behind her but hasn't been able to avoid people coming up to her and offering their condolences. 

"People come up to you all the time to talk about it," she said. "You just walk away.

"If you made it to the Olympics you're not satisfied with just that. But you're proud that you gave it your best."

In an interview with The Guardian earlier this year, Abbott told the newspaper that she hopes to become an 'investigative environmental journalist' after her cycling career. 

In the same interview, Abbott described how last year, and particularly during the winter months, she worked three days a week at an organic farm in Boulder, which was also complimented by two-days work at the Boulder farmers' market selling vegetable.

In her TEDX address, Abbott explained that she does not know what the immediate future holds. "I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do next," Abbott said. "And when I say I have absolutely no idea, I mean I have absolutely no idea."

Abbott began her career with Webcor Builders, and during her career raced for teams Team Colombia, Diadora-Pasta Zara, Exergy-Twenty16, UnitedHealthcare and she spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Wiggle High5 squad.