The figure of riders retiring at the end of this season continues to grow. Odd Christian Eiking too, who withdrew yesterday from the Giro d'Abruzzo, has chosen to say "enough" to professional cycling and next year, after eleven seasons among the professionals, will begin a new phase of his life.

"After many years in professional cycling, the time has come to close this chapter of my life. At the end of this season, I will retire from professional cycling" announced the thirty-one-year-old Norwegian on his social media pages, who has been riding for Unibet Rose Rockets since last year.

"It is difficult to express in words what this sport has given me. The highs, the lows, the victories, the disappointments and all the experiences lived in between have shaped me both as a cyclist and as a person. This sport has taken me to places I could only dream of, and I am truly grateful for that, just as I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey: my family, friends, teammates, staff, sponsors and all the people who have supported me along the way. Thank you for believing in me and for being part of this adventure. I could never have done it without you" continued the class of '94 from Stord.

"Professional cycling has been a fundamental part of my life and I will always look back on these years with pride and gratitude. Now it is time to turn the page with my family, who will welcome a new member in November" concluded Eiking, career winner of the Boucles de l'Aulne–Chateaulin 2017, a stage at the Tour de Wallonie 2018 and a section at the Arctic Race of Norway in 2019.

The one on home roads was the last success achieved during a career that saw him achieve numerous top ten finishes in short stage races (among others, he finished 4th at the Tour of Hellas this year, 3rd at the Sibiu Tour in 2025, 6th at the Tour of Guangxi in 2019) and wear the red jersey for seven days at the Vuelta a España 2021, a circumstance where he gained the spotlight and probably lived the apex of a trajectory in high-level cycling where, certainly, many will miss his friendliness and charisma.

Photo credit: ARN/Thomas Maheux