Sonny Colbrelli appears to have ridden his last race, at the age of 32, as his efforts to return to the peloton were blocked by both the Italian authorities and the UCI after he almost died in March at the end of a stage at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT).
The Italian rider, the former European champion and Paris-Roubaix winner last year, collapsed immediately after finishing 2nd on the opening stage in Spain. He had to be revived in the finish area, where medical staff with a defibrillator worked on him.
While he has since recovered and is leading a normal day-to-day life, he was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia and has since had an internal defibrillator fitted. In some countries, athletes can resume their sporting career after such a procedure - including Danish footballer Christian Eriksen, now playing for Manchester Utd. However, the Italian sporting authorities do not permit it.
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Indeed, Eriksen was playing with Inter Milan at the time he collapsed on the pitch at the European Championships in 2020 while representing Denmark. He was unable to resume playing in Italy - under the same rules that have blocked Colbrelli's return - and has now resumed his career in the UK, where playing after being fitted with an internal defibrillator is allowed.
While Colbrelli wanted to return to racing, his situation was more complicated as he rides under an Italian licence, meaning he cannot simply go to another country, as Eriksen has, and start competing again. Colbrelli lives in Switzerland and it was reported he tried to switch to a Swiss licence, which would have allowed his return, but the UCI blocked the move.
However, he has now told the Italian media he does not want to ride under a Swiss licence or to try and fight the UCI. He has instead decided to accept he has no option but to accept his situation and to put his health above continuing to race.
Aged 32 years, it is unlikely he would have too many years left at the top. And Colbrelli, who is married and has children, has now accepted his career is over and will announce his retirement formally at a press conference on November 15th, according to, La Gazzetta dello Sport.
