Concussion hastens end to German rider’s period as an athlete; Colclough also hangs up her wheels
Ina Yoko Teutenberg, one of the most successful female competitors in the sport, has been forced to end her career after a heavy crash earlier this season.
The Specialized lululemon rider came down heavily while competing in the Acht van Dwingeloo on March 7th and while she hoped to be able to return after the spring Classics, this has proved not to be the case.
Suffering dizziness, headaches and other symptoms afterwards, she said on June 9th that she was ending her season early. “It is hard to admit defeat to the crash as I have gotten a lot better in the last weeks, but I am just not a the point to be an athlete and resume full training in order to get ready and be competitive,” she stated then.
“Right now I am still fighting to be able to do every day life stuff and the main focus is that I get 100% healthy and not risk my health in order to be at a start line.”
Just over four months later, she has taken the tough decision to end her career.
“It’s not the way I wanted to retire from the sport,” said the 38 year old. “I have considered the option of racing one more season in 2014 just to be able to finish my career racing rather than due to injury, but I’ve decided it’s time now. I’m looking forward to life after racing and finding a new career.”
An extremely quick sprinter who could also handle tough courses, Teutenberg clocked up over two hundred victories during her career. Her results include a win in the 2009 Ronde van Vlaanderen, multiple stages in the Giro Donne, Tour de l’Aude and Route de France, two victories in the Tour of Chongming Island World Cup race, four victories in the Liberty Classic, the German national title, plus bronze in the 2011 worlds, fourth in the Olympic Games road race and victory in last year’s team time trial at the worlds.
The 38 year old considered retirement last season but decided to return again in 2013. She took her fifth consecutive Merced criterium victory in March, but then suffered that fall in the Acht van Dwingeloo
Also retiring is team-mate Katie Colclough, who was part of the winning Specialized lululemon squad in the team time trial championship in Florence, Italy. She started racing on the track at fourteen years of age and despite being just 23 now, has decided to hang up her wheels.
The riders from the team will be in New York this evening and will toast the careers of both riders at an event to raise money for the Cyclekids program.
Details of that event can be found here: