Uran aiming for ambitious career switch after retiring from cycling: "That’s my dream"

At the start of this year, he turned 37 and decided to hang up his bike at the end of the 2024 cycling season: Rigoberto Uran is calling it quits after twenty years. The Colombian, who spent the last nine years of his cycling career with the current EF Education-EasyPost team, is now focusing on new challenges — and he has a rather unique dream in mind.

Twice a runner-up in the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and 2014, with two stage wins, second place and a stage win in the 2017 Tour de France, victory in the GP de Québec in 2015, a stage win in the 2022 Vuelta, and winning Milan-Turin in 2017 — Uran had a successful career, even completing the trilogy of stage wins in all three Grand Tours. He claimed fourteen career wins and competed in a staggering 25 grand tours. But after 2024, Rigo decided it was time.

"The competition has clearly gotten stronger," Uran reflected on the final years of his career in a conversation with El Colombiano. "I generally prepared well, but once I got to the races, it was hard to be among the best. You have to understand that you’re getting older, and no matter how much you want it, it doesn’t work in your favor anymore," he added, realistically.

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Uran, who envisions ambitious career switch, "doesn't see who could beat Pogacar"

Uran acknowledges that the current generation in cycling is at an exceptionally high level, making it challenging for older riders to compete. "In the past, Alejandro Valverde did it, an icon with a brilliant career who won at an older age. After him, I don’t see anyone who can beat Pogacar. We’re seeing talent that’s already being compared to Eddy Merckx. They’re on another level. I’ve never seen anything like what Pogacar is doing — it’s incredible."

With more time now to focus on other things, Uran doesn’t expect to fall into a post-career void. Instead, the Colombian has an ambitious dream ahead. "I’m going to dedicate myself to professional soccer. It’s a dream, and I’m going to try it and see what happens. My goal is to become a professional footballer. You know I’m a bit crazy, but I just love doing things," the veteran concluded with a laugh.