Cummings, Bennati call end to long careers
Steve Cummings and Daniele Bennati call a close on long careers this week, joining fellow veteran Stijn Devolder in stepping away from the sport.
Brit Steve Cummings and Italian Daniele Bennati have called an end on long careers as the peloton loses two of its elder statesmen.
38-year-old Cummings rode the 2019 season for Dimension Data though was not on the newly branded NTT Team’s 2020 roster revealed this week. He is reported to have confirmed his retirement to journalist Ned Boulting.
39-year-old Bennati announced his retirement on his Instagram page.
“From tomorrow I leave again for new adventures where I believe there will always be, in the background, that splendid object with two pedaled wheels that is with me for life,” read the message he posted Monday.
Bennati rode his last three seasons with Movistar. His career was highlighted with stage wins in all three grand tours. Cummings, who rode professionally since 2005, took stage victories at the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana as well as a GC victory at the Tour of Britain.
The pair join Stijn Devolder in hanging up their wheels. Devolder, who rode the 2019 season with Corendon-Circus, took back-to-back wins at the Tour of Flanders in 2008 and 2009. He announced his retirement to Het Laatste Nieuws earlier this month.
“Last summer I turned 40,” the Belgian said. “It’s time to say goodbye and start something else. I can’t go on forever. The decision to stop is now easier for me than a few years ago. Then I would have stayed behind with the feeling: “I only had a few years …”.”