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Bettini to retire following Worlds
Italy's Paolo Bettini will retire after he races for his third World Championship title on Sunday. The 34 year-old will end a 12-year career that includes wins at Milano-Sanremo, the Tour de France and the Olympics.
"In these last months – for the last four years – I have thought a lot and there has been a lot going on up until this last week and the World Championships – my race. I decided to close my career with serenity. Sunday will be the last time I attach a race number on my back and it will be the number one," Bettini said Saturday evening in Varese.
Bettini had a fall out with his current team Quick Step earlier this month over contract negotiations. He considered racing another year but did not find a team that would meet his needs.
"I want to say thanks to everyone. Giancarlo Ferretti was the first directeur that believed in me, the sponsors – Mapei and Quick Step."
Bettini, from La California, Livorno, started his career with MG-Technogym in 1997. He rose to fame in 2000 with Team Mapei-Quickstep with his win in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and a stage win in the Tour de France. He gained another win in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2002 on his way to winning his first of three World Cup titles. His palmarès also include 2003 Milano-Sanremo, Clásica San Sebastián, the 2005 and 2006 Giro di Lombardia and two Italian Championships.
He will vie for a history-making third straight win in the World Championships road race in his last race on Sunday. "To win tomorrow will mean that I would write a story in cycling."
Erik Zabel has announced that he will retire at the end of this season, as expected. "I had a lot of fun riding this year and could keep up with my international rivals. I don't know if I could do that for another season and think that this is the right moment to stop," he said in a press release.
The 38-year-old will ride the Worlds road race Sunday. His last race for Milram will be the Sparkasse Münsterland Giro on October 3.
"With Erik Zabel's retirement, not only Milram but also the whole sporting world is losing an important athlete. We thank him for the great work of the last three years," said Gerry van Gerwen, Milram's general manager.
Zabel's future plans were not announced, but van Gerwen indicated that he would not stay with the team, saying "we wish Erik an equally exciting and successful career after this career, and hope that he stays involved with cycling, in whatever way."
Zabel turned pro in 1993 with Team Telekom, leaving the team only in 2006 to join the newly-formed Team Milram. He has over 200 career wins, making him the most successful pro German rider ever. Among his honours are 12 Tour de France stage wins in 14 starts and six green jerseys for the best sprinter. He won eight stages in the Vuelta a España and won the points jersey three times. This year he rode the Giro d'Italia for the first time and, also for the first time, rode all three Grand Tours in one year.
He also won Milano-Sanremo four times and Paris-Tours three times. Other wins include Amstel Gold Race, Rund um den Henninger Turm, Rund um Köln and the HEW Cyclassics.(SW)