While most people take up a hobby, spend more time with the people they love, perhaps see more of the world and generally chilling out, retirement for a pro cyclist seems to involve finding new ways to torture yourself. In Alex Dowsett's case that meant the London Marathon.
The twice Giro d'Italia stage winner completed the 26.2-mile iconic event in a very respectable official time of 03:23:02, admitting he's "very broken" and it's "fair to say I'm a better cyclist than I am a runner". Most importantly, Dowsett and fianceé Chanel raised more than £6,000 for Alex's Little Bleeders charity and the Haemophilia Society.
Dowsett called the event "phenomenal" and said he was smiling all the way around...
"Enjoyed being not competitive at all more than I thought, enjoyed being one of thousands and getting a finishers medal. Enjoyed my nutrition strategy working out and not hitting any kind of wall. Enjoyed being on the same start line as my fiancée and doing the same 'race' (we ran together for 300 metres). Enjoyed being a part of something that showed the best of humanity, and enjoyed racing a dinosaur.
"I am very broken right now, enjoyably broken. Not sure how I feel about another (let alone getting to 151 marathons like a guy we got chatting to) I think I’ll be a bike rider again for a good while.
> Drink At Your Desk Live! With special guest Alex Dowsett
"My body doesn’t like me at the moment, had to have a good hard conversation with an ankle two thirds through. I think I'll be a cyclist again for a while. Lastly, I miss my team bus and masseur."
Where do you start cleaning this….#dirtyriever#boardmanbikespic.twitter.com/aqVYWoSCvi
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) April 23, 2023
Or as Jo pointed out how your bike looks after any British 'gravel' ride...
If like me you're emerging from a slightly groggy wedding weekend (not mine) and the past two days flashed by without giving you a second to even think about cycling, here's what you might have missed...
> Road safety group draws ire after advising cyclists to "stop and allow drivers to overtake"
There was also the news that not everyone in the Netherlands pootles to the shops on their city bike...
> From cobbles to asphalt? Van der Poel becomes Lamborghini ambassador (and gets one himself)
There was racing drama...
> Tadej Pogačar forced to abandon Liège-Bastogne-Liège after early crash, suffers fractures
Oh, I almost forgot the bikes...
> REVIEW: Pearson Minegoestoeleven
> Bike at Bedtime: Check out this loud and limited Vielo x WTB collaboration V+1 gravel bike