Update: See our exclusive interview with newly-retired cyclocross pro Gabby Durrin hours after her announcement here.
When we spoke with Gabby Durrin in the early part of the summer of 2014, she was upbeat and optimistic about the coming year. Despite not having a team for the following season, she was ready to race—and win. What transpired just weeks later was what may have seemed to the outside world, as it did to us here at Cyclocross Magazine, like a dream scenario—racing and working for herself and select sponsors on her own team—Neon Velo—with her spouse, Jeremy Durrin.
File photo of Gabby Durrin, seen here at Milton Keynes. Durrin is leaving racing behind and starting a new chapter. © Bart Hazen.
It seems though that by the beginning of 2015 something was amiss.
In January Gabby took to writing to open up about some things that had been on her mind and posted on the Neon Velo team site that she was taking a step back from cycling to focus on other matters.
As Gabby put it then, “[t]his is NOT the end of my cycling….. It is however a little break for me to work on myself and try and come back a mentally stronger and happier athlete should I want it, and I’m sure I will. I think just stepping back and re-analyzing my life and looking at what I have achieved will help. I am going to go back to the basics of just riding my bike when I want to and enjoying the feeling of just pedaling along in the countryside and taking time to see the views and hear the sounds of the birds. I am pressing the re-set button for a while.” (ed., emphasis in original)
Nobody would blame someone who had been competing since they were a teenager, and most recently at the highest levels of their sport, for wanting and needing to take a break to rest and recharge. And it seemed that to some degree she had, racing a select number of races this season.
After 13 seasons of racing, She made the following post on her Facebook page this morning.
A lot has been going on this year for me. I have been away from racing for a little while and I have made some big…
Posted by Gabby Durrin on Wednesday, December 16, 2015
It seems that racing for Gabby is now coming to an end. Gabby said in her full statement on her team’s website that, “most importantly I lived my dream for those 13 years. I can truly say that even through the tough times and the highs and lows I really lived my life exactly how I wanted. My office was out on the roads and trails in the UK, Europe and the US. My time was my own and the weekends were where I showcased all my hard work and represented everyone who supported me. And I really hope that over my time as a bike racer I inspired people along the way.”
She surely has.
Her statement on The Neon Velo site goes into much more detail about the how and why of her leaving the racing ranks. Much of what Gabby has to say is reflective and some of it is very personal. We invite you to read Gabby’s words.
Stay tuned for our conversation with Gabby Durrin regarding her announcement.
