'It tightens the heart a little' - Tom Paquot retires from cycling, says he's a 'collateral victim' of merger between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto

The merger between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto claimed another victim this week, Belgian rider Tom Paquot announcing his retirement from the sport at just 26.

At the end of a three-year contract with Intermarché-Wanty, the Walloon rider was unable to secure a ride in what is a rapidly contracting job market for riders. The peloton has been badly affected this year, with the merger between the two Belgian outfits now dragging on for almost five months since it became public during the Tour de France.

The closure of the Arkéa-B&B Hotels team has further restricted jobs at WorldTour level, while Paquot's former team, Continental level Wagner-Bazin-WB, has also gone out of business. The combination of these mergers and closures leaves more riders than jobs and huge uncertainty.

In a long video posted to his Instagram account, Paquot recounted his journey into the sport and his short career in the WorldTour, before thanking those who had supported him.

"Starting next year there will be no more numbers pinned to my back," Paquot said. "A chapter comes to an end, and even if it tightens my heart a little, it's time to turn the page. My story as a professional cyclist ends here.

"In a world that sometimes forgets that athletes are human too I'm proud I stayed true to myself proud that I kept my values, proud that I could share emotions in a world where everyone compares themselves to others."

In an interview with RTBF, Paquot described how he began searching for a new team during the summer.

"As soon as the first rumours surfaced in July, I made contact. But the collapse of Arkéa-B&B Hotels and Wagner Bazin-WB really complicated my search. As the weeks went by, the number of riders on the market increased. And then there's another problem: I'm a domestique, a very good domestique, but not a leader, and there are tons of domestiques of my style and calibre who are available!

"I'm a collateral victim. Restructuring happens in every professional sector. You have to know how to adapt and move forward."

While the closure of teams is a disaster for those employed by them, the merger between the two Belgian squads has created huge uncertainty in the transfer market, with some riders having no idea about their future despite the new season being only weeks away.

Only this week has there been any movement, with Paquot's teammate, Biniam Girmay, reaching an agreement to leave the merged outfit.

News also emerged of some progress in the merger, with team training camps due to begin next week and a team presentation expected on January 12.