Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Racing
Becky James quits pro cycling - and her retirement plans are VERY unusualBecky James (copyright British Cycling).jpg

Becky James quits pro cycling - and her retirement plans are VERY unusual

Although when you think about it... isn't this one of cycling's biggest food obsessions?...
by Sarah Barth
Sat, Aug 19, 2017 06:00
16

The Olympic medal-winning cyclist Becky James has quit cycling to bake wedding cakes, and said she is ‘excited’ about her future.

Admitting that after Rio 2016, she had "post-Olympic blues”, she announced her retirement this week.

"It came about two weeks ago and I thought 'this is what I want to do' and it just clicked," she told BBC Sport.

"I came to the decision it was the right thing for me to do and I'm feeling very excited."

The Welsh athlete became world champion in sprint and keirin in 2013 and won silver at the same events at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

On her Twitter account, she revealed: “After 13 years of racing my track bike, it is time to start an exciting new chapter in my life.

“I have achieved my dreams of becoming a world champion, a Commonwealth medallist for Wales and becoming a double Olympic silver medallist.

“For a long time I've had a passion for baking and have loved making special wedding and birthday cakes for friends and family... and it's my intention to now pursue this passion as a business.”

 

"It's been up and down," she said.

"I was on such a high after the Olympics, and then you have a massive dip and it's really hard to get out of that rut.

"People say you have the post-Olympic blues and I definitely had that, but then I came out of that dip and I was half training and trying to figure out what to do.

"I was so happy with my decision and was scared to tell people what I wanted to do. I had to do what I wanted in my heart.

"I'm so happy with everything I've achieved in my career. I didn't feel like I was desperate to carry on to the next Olympics, I'm so chuffed with what I've done.

"I just felt for me this is the right time to move and start my next career.

"If it (cycling) wasn't what I wanted to do I knew in my heart I wouldn't achieve what I'd want to. I couldn't do anything half-hearted - if I didn't really want to do it I knew I wouldn't achieve my goals and be the best I could be."

 

Becky James
retirement
cake

Add new comment

16 comments

Avatar
Leviathan | 7 years ago
0 likes

Stressing in article title is VERY unusual. Wedding cakes are not. Has no one in you office watched Bake Off EVER. There is a direct correlation between the growth in baking and cycling success in this country

Avatar
dwbeever replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
0 likes
Leviathan wrote:

There is a direct correlation between the growth in baking and cycling success in this country

Correlation does not imply causation, but given i love both the underlying variables, i'll not slice you up....

 

Avatar
Rushie | 7 years ago
2 likes

If she doesn't call the new company Bakey James I shall be cross.

Avatar
Goldfever4 | 7 years ago
0 likes

The headline (and premise) for this article is immature and not what I expect from road.cc, why is an article celebrating a successful career for a nice, hard-working person passed over in favour of poking fun at her plans after professional cycling? 

Avatar
Beecho | 7 years ago
3 likes

Just shed a tier...

Avatar
Jack Osbourne snr | 7 years ago
3 likes

When I retire from eating cake, I'm gonna win some medals for cycling very fast.

Good luck Becky!

Avatar
Twowheelsaregreat | 7 years ago
1 like

Best of luck Becky! laugh

Avatar
NeilG83 | 7 years ago
1 like

With Becky James now retired and Williamson out injured could there be a chance of Jess Varnish returning to the squad?

Avatar
davel replied to NeilG83 | 7 years ago
1 like
NeilG83 wrote:

With Becky James now retired and Williamson out injured could there be a chance of Jess Varnish returning to the squad?

Surely she'd get a frosting reception.

Avatar
alansmurphy replied to NeilG83 | 7 years ago
1 like
NeilG83 wrote:

With Becky James now retired and Williamson out injured could there be a chance of Jess Varnish returning to the squad?

Bloody hope not!!!

Avatar
Must be Mad | 7 years ago
2 likes

Shame in a way - her star was still rising. But also I think it is commendable to understand when your hearts no longer in the game and quit while you are ahead. Good luck for the new venture.

Avatar
Stumps | 7 years ago
1 like

Good luck to her in her new career, if she makes cakes as well as she rides a bike then she'll be a superstar. 

Avatar
handlebarcam | 7 years ago
2 likes
Quote:

Becky James quits pro cycling - and her retirement plans are VERY unusual

Really? Retired athlete starts a second career requiring patience and manual dexterity, doing a craft which is so widely popular that a TV programme based around it has recently been the subject of a bidding war. How is any of that unusual? A pro cyclist taking up an academic career would be surprising (but not a total shock, given Emma Pooley has a PhD.) But becoming a baker? That hardly merits a "Huh". But, nevertheless, here goes: "Huh, well, good for her."

Clickbait much?

Avatar
Flying Scot | 7 years ago
1 like

Thanks for the entertainment and if you're reading this, all the best with the cakeage.

Avatar
ianguignet | 7 years ago
4 likes

good on her. hope her cakes are ace. 

Avatar
Woldsman | 7 years ago
1 like

<AustralianAccent>If you can't stand the heat get in to the kitchen. </AustralianAccent>

Best wishes, Becks.

Latest Comments