Jack Bobridge, centre, was crowned Australian national road race champion for the second time in his career this year but at just 27 he has been forced out of the sport because of rheumatoid arthritis that affects his hands and feet.
By Brian Canty
Despite a stellar season when he was crowned national road race champion after a stunning solo win, Australian Jack Bobridge has retired from professional cycling, aged just 27 years.
The current world record holder for the 4km individual pursuit has battled rheumatoid arthritis for a number of years and he has eventually been forced to succumb to the pain of the condition.
One of the stars of the Australian track team for the last number of years, he finished a Grand Tour for the first time in his career this year when he completed the Giro d’Italia.
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But behind the performances there were plenty of complications with his health that hampered his progress.
“I only went back to Europe this year to finalise things in my own head and I found it wasn't enjoyable with the arthritis and the pain,” he said.
“I could drag on for three or four years but come 40 or 50 the damage it's going to do and the arthritis in my body ... I don't see sport is worth it.”
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He was diagnosed with the condition in 2010 and since then he has managed to continue the heavy racing and training schedule through the use of occasional TUE’s but he no longer wants to continually manage pain.
“I've had a good career, I've got good results and done Commonwealth Games, Olympics and worlds; road and track.
“I've lived a good life in Europe and to me the decision is pretty easy, and since I made it I haven't thought twice about it.
“I haven't thought 'am I doing the right thing?' And I suppose after a few months of not racing if you haven't got that hunger I guess you know it's the right decision,” he explained.
He shot to fame in 2009 when he won the U23 time-trial world championships.
Two years later he was world champion in Sydney, winning the 4km pursuit in a time of 4'10", breaking Chris Boardman's previous benchmark that stood for 15 years.
A WorldTour contract with Garmin-SHARP followed before he went on to various other teams, GreenEdge, Budget Forklifts and Trek Segafredo among them.
He is the Australian hour-record holder and is a two-time national road race champion, having also won in 2011.
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