Teuns may be forced to follow Mollema into retirement: 'Thirty-four isn’t really the age to retire'

It’s true that Teuns’s best years are behind him. The Belgian won two stages in the Tour de France, the general classification in the Tour of Poland, and was the winner of the Flèche Wallonne in 2022.

In total, his list of achievements includes no fewer than seven WorldTour victories, along with a third-place finish in the 2018 Tour of Lombardy and sixth-place finishes in Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Tour of Flanders (2022).

After leaving Israel-Premier Tech, he joined Cofidis, where the climbing specialist recorded a number of impressive podium finishes. But those weren’t his best seasons. Now that his contract is expiring, he’s saying goodbye to the French team. “Of course, it’s a bit of a shame,” he tells Sporza ahead of the Tour of Lombardy. “I haven’t had the best year and a half, but I do think I’ve been performing at a solid level again in recent months.”

It’s not yet clear where he’ll end up. Above all, he hopes to find a place where he can help guide the younger generation. “I’ve conveyed that approach to my management. I don’t need to be the leader anymore. I still have the experience for it, but the young guys are eager to take on that role.”

But the search is proving difficult. After his pro debut with BMC in 2014, he joined Bahrain Merida in 2019, and subsequently rode for Israel - Premier Tech and Cofidis. Whether another team will follow remains to be seen.

“We’ll see if something comes up or not. It does cause a bit of stress, but I’m trying to enjoy the last few weeks as much as possible. There’s one more conversation underway—that’s the last one. I’m giving it until the end of October, at the very latest.”

So it’s quite possible that the Tour of Lombardy will be his last professional race. What if no team comes knocking anymore?

“Then you’ll probably be reading my farewell letter. Thirty-four isn’t really the age to retire, but if they force me, I’ll have no choice,” Teuns sighs in conclusion.