Alexander Kristoff's career was meant to end with a sprint – and hopefully a winning one – on stage 8 of Le Tour de Langkawi, but instead it ended with a rickshaw ride guard of honour for the rider with a professional career extending across two decades.
The Uno-X Mobility rider with four stage wins at the Tour de France, plus Milan-San Remo and Tour of Flanders amongst his career win tally of 98 faced a quick and unwelcome change of plans when he crashed on Saturday, leaving him with bloodied up hands and arms, and unable to safely hold the handlebars in the hustle and bustle of the peloton, let alone in a sprint.
"I feel banged up and I'm a bit sad I cannot race, because I think today could have suited me, of course, and it's a strange to be here on the start and do a guard of honor and don't do the race, but that's the part of the sport, the bad crashes, and yesterday, it was me my turn," Kristoff told reporters, including Cyclingnews, on the start line at Tangkak on Sunday.
Latest Videos From
"I didn't have many bad crashes in my career, and I'm not badly injured, but I think my bones are quite strongly built, because I never broke anything in my whole career. So I'm actually happy about that, but now I regret a little bit I didn't try more to go to the finish line, but it was very difficult with my hands."
The upside, however, was a guard of honour not to be forgotten. The crowds lined the barriers, and the riders lined the road toward the start line, wheels spinning in the air as they paid respect to the impressive career of the Norwegian rider. They parted ways to reveal Kristoff in a rickshaw, delivering a memorable – if not as planned – farewell to a memorable career.
"It's strange, a bit," said Kristoff when he was asked how it felt. "But I've also thought about it for a long time. So I'm ready for it," said the soon-to-be father of five, with the latest addition to the family expected in February.
"I'm not so scared for the transition, because at home is so busy, like Jens Voigt – I think he was not bored at home either. He had a lot of kids, so there is a lot of things happening, so I think my wife is very relieved now we have two adults that can do stuff, and not only one. My training is not the first priority anymore."
Also, while Le Tour de Langkawi may not have delivered the wins he was hoping for, missing out with the closest of second places to Matteo Malucelli (XDS-Astana) on stage 3, but it has delivered a realisation.
"When I didn't win here, the stage that I got really perfect, but still I managed to lose it, and then I think it's time to stop. It's time to let all the guys take over, because a few years ago, I would have won it," said Kristoff. "I'm not getting faster. As a sprinter, I felt also that the first thing I start to lose is the top speed and the maximum acceleration.
"I will say my steady power for a little bit longer is more or less the same as some years ago, but I'm missing quite a few watts actually, on the peak power compared to my best years. So then it's harder to win sprints … it's hard to keep the faster guys, the younger guys behind you."
