The Copenhagen Sprint from last year will remain the last race of Bram Welten's professional cycling career. Never able to pin a number on his back again after that date due to the aftermath of the crash suffered at the Brugge-De Panne in March 2025, the twenty-nine-year-old Dutch rider from Picnic PostNL has decided to throw in the towel and, after a season and a half of pure suffering where he repeatedly attempted to return to racing, has announced his retirement from professional cycling.

"After so many wonderful years in the world of cycling spent racing for various teams and collecting unforgettable memories, it is time for me to say goodbye to life as a professional cyclist" the class of '97 from Tilburg announced through his social media channels. "This is an incredibly difficult decision, because cycling has always been much more than just a job. It was my passion, my dream, and a fundamental part of who I am" Welten continued before explaining the reasons behind his choice.

"In 2025, after a crash at Bruges-De Panne, what I initially thought was just another injury turned into a long journey filled with uncertainty, examinations, and consultations with specialists. After more than a year searching for answers, I received a diagnosis I never expected: a small fragment of my L5 vertebra had broken off and continues to cause me pain while pedaling. Despite the discomfort, I still wanted to give my best. The victory in the fourth stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia achieved with Picnic will forever remain one of the moments I am most proud of and a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life".

Welten thus closes his chapter in professional cycling after a 2026 that never saw him take to the road with his team's colors, the third of his professional career after Groupama-FDJ and Arkea.

"Unfortunately, as time went on, it became clear that continuing at the highest levels was no longer possible. Accepting this reality was incredibly difficult. I would have liked to end my career differently and felt there was still so much to achieve. But sometimes you have to listen to your body. Despite everything, I look back on the past with immense pride and gratitude. Cycling gave me unforgettable victories, incredible experiences, lasting friendships, and memories that will stay with me forever".

Among these is undoubtedly the one linked to his only professional victory achieved in his career at the Tour de Vendée in 2021, a success that Welten will certainly be able to recount with pride in a few years, just like the encounters he had during his nine years traveling around the world racing alongside the strongest champions of his era.

"To all my teammates, to the staff members, to the teams, to the sponsors, to friends, to my family, and especially to my partner: thank you. Thank you for the trust, support, and confidence placed in me throughout this journey. Without you, this story would never have been the same. Although this is not the ending I had imagined, I leave the sport with a heart full of gratitude and my head held high. Cycling will always be a part of me. Now it is time to turn the page. New challenges, opportunities, and adventures await me, and I cannot wait to face them with the same passion and determination that cycling has given me over the years" concluded determinedly the winner of the Paris-Roubaix Juniors 2015.