Each year, the Cyclist’s Alliance publishes a report into the situation of women’s cycling. For the non-stars of the sport, it can be hard to make a living with 25% of riders receiving no salary and 32% receiving less than €15k. This means that some riders, such as Asja Paladin, have stepped away from the sport and found more conventional jobs. Others are lucky enough to have retired after years in the peloton and unfortunately, some riders are unlucky to be the victim of injuries.

Top 3 Retirees in 2021

Katie Hall

Hall spent her last two seasons at the dominant Boels Dolmans team, after spending 5 seasons with United Healthcare. She dominated her home stage races, completing a clean sweep in 2018. Results were solid in the European peloton, with a peak of 7th at the 2019 Giro Rosa. She left racing after the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in the COVID affected 2020 season and plans to go study physical therapy at the University of Washington back in the US.

Lucy van der Haar

Lucy van der Haar (née Garner) burst onto the scene with a pair of junior world championship titles in 2011 and 2012. She was 3rd in GC at Tour of Chongming Island in her first pro season, 7th in GC in the 2014 Women’s Tour, 5th in 2015 Madrid Challenge and a stage winner at the Route de France that year. She got swamped by the talent on Wiggle-High5 from 2016 and her career suffered. She bowed out with her first win in 5 years at the Dubai Women’s Tour (Stage and GC) and will now run a salon part-time and be an ambassador for Cannondale.

Shara Marche

Marche (née Gillow) started her career as a definite TT specialist, racking up the national and continental titles. She won a stage of the Giro Rosa in 2011, beating breakaway companion Sharon Laws. Her TT made her a useful stage race rider, 4th in GC at the 2013 Giro Rosa a highlight. The move to FDJ in 2017 ignited a career year that included a score of top-10s at major one-day races, as she became a threat in the Ardennes in particular. She’s not announced her future plans yet but as a noted foodie, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see something in that direction.
[Edit: on 18th January, Shara confirmed she’ll be looking after nutrition at SD Worx in 2021]

List of Retiring riders