More and more top riders retire at younger ages from the sports. Whilst this is widely feared due to their early development, what we’re currently seeing are riders left without a contract earlier on in their careers as the teams make continuous pushes to sign younger riders. It’s a transition phase and several are ending their careers in the process, such as Germany’s Jannik Steimle.
The German rider is retiring at the end of this season at age 29, a few months after becoming a father – which may have played a significant role in the decision. Steimle turned pro in 2016 with Team Felbermayr – Simplon Wels and spent two years at both that and a different Austrian team: Voralberg. Throughout this time his talent in the classics became apparent with a GC win on the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt and stage wins in multiple stage-races thrughout the year.
He got on a trainee coontract with Soudal – Quick-Step that August and immediately impressed, having thrived off the opportunity he got with a pro win at the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen. Steimle was a hit in the Belgian team and was signed to be part of its classics block but also support its GC riders and sprinters. In 2020 he won the Tour of Slovakia and also came close to taking a win at the Vuelta a España, whilst in 2021 he continued to perform strongly in the smaller stage-races and won a stage at the Tour of Slovakia once again. But the 2022 and 2023 seasons weren’t as flashy, and after both he and the team lacked in results throughout the classics, he was left without a contract.