Japanese cyclist Eri Yonamine has announced her upcoming retirement from professional cycling, bringing an end to a decade-long career that saw her claim ten national titles. Yonamine, who most recently rode for Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi, revealed her decision on Instagram, reflecting on her journey and the challenges of continuing in the sport.
“It’s time to close my book,” Yonamine wrote, confirming that her race last week was her final one as a professional. The 33-year-old expressed mixed emotions about the decision, admitting it was a difficult call to make. “For the last few years, I have been asking myself when I will retire from pro cycling,” she said, explaining that it was tough to determine the right moment. “Half of me thought I wanted to race as long as I could, and I had the confidence to do it.”
Yonamine first entered the professional scene in 2016 with the American Hagens Berman / Supermint Pro Cycling Team. Her career saw her race for several teams across the globe, including FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, Wiggle High5, Alé Cipollini, Team TIBCO-SVB, Human Powered Health, and most recently, Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi.
Despite her love for racing, Yonamine admitted that the struggle to secure contracts had taken a toll on her. “It was hard to get a contract year after year,” she confessed, acknowledging the challenges many riders face in finding teams. “Last week, I was told that my contract would not be renewed, and suddenly, I realised this is my last race.”
While she had hoped to retire at the end of the season with a sense of accomplishment, the circumstances were different this year. “I wanted to retire with the usual end-of-season feeling of satisfaction and good tiredness,” she explained. “But unfortunately, I couldn’t feel it because I didn’t have a proper, certain calendar.”
Despite this, Yonamine remains passionate about the sport she dedicated her life to. “Obviously, I’m not tired of being a professional cyclist. I love my job deeply from my heart,” she wrote. “Including the hard moments in the saddle, I love to race with my teammates.”
Reflecting on the emotional process of coming to terms with retirement, Yonamine said, “I’m writing my honest feelings of retirement to help me accept it.” She also quoted the famous line, “The serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Though her professional career is drawing to a close, Yonamine hinted that she’s not entirely done with the bike just yet. “Luckily, I have the last big event [the World Championships], so I’m happy to be a pro in the saddle for another 10 days. I’ll try to do my best and give everything,” she said, closing her message with an optimistic outlook.
