Anna Plichta (29) has decided to retire from cycling immediately and therefore she won’t be part of the Lotto Soudal Ladies team next season. The Polish rider joined our team this year and had signed a two-year contract, which will now end at the end of the year. Plichta is a two-time Polish time trial champion and past summer she animated the Olympics road race by being part of a long breakaway.
“I have always enjoyed being a professional cyclist; to train hard and to fight in the races, but past year I realized that I lost a bit of the anger, the feeling to be competitive and the guts to take a risk,” testifies Anna Plichta. “I still could train very hard, be focused and motivated, but I did not have this happy feeling anymore when the race day was coming. It made me aware of the fact that something was changing in my mind, and that maybe I should take time to think about my future. A few weeks ago I made the decision to quit cycling.”
“I had always promised myself that I would retire when I still enjoyed cycling,” says Plichta. “And at this moment I just feel like it’s time to take another step, and to try something new. I am ready for new challenges. I will keep all the great memories in my mind and I will always look back on my career with a warm heart and a big smile. Mostly for the people I have met, and the amazing stories that were written. I would like to say thanks to everyone who supported me during my career, and a big thank you to Lotto Soudal for understanding my decision, and letting me take another path.”
The team wishes Anna all the best for the future.
