RIDING INTO RETIREMENT AND REFLECTING ON WHAT CYCLING HAS GIVEN ME
By Karol-Ann Canuel, former professional road athlete, 3-time TTT World Champion & 2-time Olympian
Cycling has been part of my life since I was a kid and I think it will always be a part of who I am. I love training; I love being on my bike and I don’t think that is going to change.
The sport has allowed me to travel and to see countless corners of the world from the saddle. It has also allowed me to meet wonderful people, make life-long friendships and learn from so many different people throughout my career. But above all, cycling has taught me about myself. I learned a lot about who I am, as an athlete and person, and it has allowed me to grow and to learn to handle the different things life throws at me.
In September, I rode in the final race of my career at the Road World Championships in Flanders. I picked this specific race to be my final one, knowing that it would be one to remember with the rich history and culture Belgium has when it comes to cycling. When the day came, I felt in good shape and all I wanted was to feel good on the bike and not to crash.
Over the course of my career, I had countless small crashes that left me with a few scratches and a bit of pain every time I tried to shower or sleep for the following weeks. Those smaller crashes are the “good crashes” …but then there are the bad ones. In 2014, I broke my neck and had a concussion in the middle of the year. At the end of that season, I broke my pelvis. In 2019, I broke my collarbone. After turning 30, I feel like I stopped taking risks in races because crashing just wasn’t worth it anymore. It was that realization that made me embrace that retirement was coming because I don’t think you can keep racing at the highest level without taking risks. But before retiring, I had one big goal left, and it was to return to the Olympic Games in 2020.
After Rio 2016, I really wanted to go back with more experience and see what I was able to accomplish. However, COVID-19 hitting us in 2020 meant I had to race for an extra year in order to be able to represent Canada at those Games. I raced less in my last year; I was more focused on my training and targeting big events like the Olympics and the World Championships.
Even a few weeks after my last race, I don’t think retirement has sunk in yet. In this current moment, it just feels like an awesome off-season. I have been doing rides that I never had the chance of doing because my training was so specific. I have been exploring new roads in Spain; I did some gravel adventures; I started running; the list goes on. While I’m enjoying all of it, I am also trying to figure out my next step.
A lot of people have been asking me, “What are you going to do now that you are retired from professional cycling?” and the truth is that right now I don’t know, and I think that’s ok.
I want to take my time to figure it out and makes sure that my next goal in life will be something that makes me happy. I want to take my time and try different things and I’m grateful to have this chance to really explore.
While I’m experiencing all these amazing adventures, I’m also reflecting on my career. I had my ups and downs. It was never easy. I remember almost quitting the sport right after finishing 5th at the World Championships as a Junior and it took me a few years to shift things around and come back at a high level. It simply showed me that it’s okay to not always be at the top of your game and the importance of the people who you choose to be in your “village”. Choose wisely.
I also think it’s important to make leaps every year in this sport. You can have a long career, so no need to skip steps but make sure you improve every year. I think a balance between cycling and having a normal life is also paramount. Cycling is a hard sport, and it is especially hard for us Canadians because we have to come to Europe to race at the highest level. I was always jealous of my European teammates who just get to go home to their families after a race. Coming from another continent is even more challenging, but all those challenges were worth being able to represent my country at so many international events. My best memories were my gold medals in the Team Time Trial in 2014, 2015 and 2016…the only event where you get to go on the podium with the whole team!
After all these years racing as a professional, I hope my career can inspire the next generation of athletes, show them that it is possible to make it in Europe and to perform at the highest level of the sport.
