Two long-time veterans are preparing to bid farewell to the peloton. Both Simon Clarke and Jonathan Castroviejo announced during the second rest day of the 2025 Giro d'Italia (where they are both competing) that they will hang up their bikes in a few months.

For the Spaniard from Ineos-Grenadiers, 38 years old with 11 victories in 15 professional seasons, the fateful moment will arrive at the end of the season, coinciding with the natural expiration of his contract with the British team.

"After years of commitment, effort, and passion in the saddle, it's time to close this important chapter of my life and open a new one," declared the native of Gexto through the team's official channels.

"Cycling has given me everything: life lessons, friendships, challenges, and memories that I will forever carry in my heart full of gratitude. These years at the highest levels of sport would not have been possible without the continuous support of my wife, my children, and also my parents. They helped me in every pedal stroke, in every injury I had to endure, in every success I achieved. I want to thank my friends, always present and ready to support me, and also the teams I rode for that gave me the opportunity to grow, race, and realize my dreams."

For Castroviejo, a rider who over the years has earned space and credibility thanks to his climbing and time trial skills, the next few months will be his last before saying goodbye to professional cycling, a big step for which, unlike the Iberian rider, Simon Clarke has chosen the Australian races at the beginning of 2026 as his stage.

"It's difficult to express in words what this sport has meant to me. I left Australia at just 16 years old with the dream of breaking through in Europe as a cyclist. I had no certainties, only a deep love for this sport and the determination to pursue something bigger. That decision changed my life," explained the 38-year-old from Melbourne (7 victories in 17 professional seasons, including a stage at the 2022 Tour de France and one at the 2018 Vuelta Espana) in a social media post shared on the Israel-Premier Tech account.

"Over the years, I've had the privilege of racing on the world's biggest stages, standing on the podium, supporting my teammates, and being part of some truly special moments in this sport. I'm incredibly proud of what I've achieved. Not just for the results, but also for the relationships, experiences, and lessons I've learned along the way. In 2011, I met my wonderful wife, a moment that marked my life more than any race. Together we now have two beautiful children, and looking ahead, I'm excited to have more time to dedicate to them and what the new chapter of my life will bring. Cycling has given me so much, and I will always be grateful for the journey I've lived. There's no better way to close this chapter than racing at home, in front of my family, my friends, and the Australian public who has supported me since I started racing," Clarke announced, whose last professional efforts will be the Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Ride next January.

But first, there's 2025 and, staying in the present, a Giro d'Italia to finish, a race in which both he and Castroviejo will do everything to support their team leaders' podium ambitions, Derek Gee and Egan Bernal.