Yoann Offredo (Circus-Wanty Gobert) announced his retirement from professional cycling in an emotional interview with the French newspaper L'Equipe (opens in new tab).

The French rider admitted that he is "going through a period of depression" and is struggling to find meaning in his life now that he can no longer call himself a professional bicycle rider.

Offredo's troubles are heightened by the fact that retirement was not his choice, but was thrust upon the 33-year-old by an ankle injury that left him temporarily paralyzed and airlifted to the hospital after crashing at the GP Denain in March 2019.

He completed the Tour de France that year, but had to undergo tendon graft surgery in the off-season and ultimately never regained full fitness. he has not raced since Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in February. He has not raced since Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in February and was recently told by his doctor that he would not be racing again.

Offredo, who turned pro with FDJ in 2008 and has been with Circus Wantigover for the past four years, must finish racing at the end of this season.

"I wanted to write the words I am quitting out of respect for all those who have supported me and to thank them for the wonderful years I have had at the Française des Jeux and Wanty, but I could not. I couldn't," Offredo told L'Equipe.

"I used to hear people talk about 'little deaths' when riders retire, but for me it was abstract. When I'm racing, I stick my head in the handlebars and put on my blinkers. It's not like I'm friendly with the other riders."

"It's kind of a depressing time. Last year Peter Kennaugh and Marcel Kittel couldn't run because of depression, but the word is still taboo. Most athletes either don't express themselves or hide behind appearances. I wake up in the morning sad that I am not in touch with my emotions. I need to rediscover my purpose in life."

One of those purposes was spending a summer in the studios of a French television station, working as a pundit for Tour de France coverage, and although he won one stage of the 2009 Tour de Picardie, he was rarely content to sit in the peloton.

Offredo also revealed that he plans to use the profits from his work at FDJ to go to college and earn a master's degree in political science with a specialization in journalism. However, he has yet to accept the fact that he is no longer an athlete.

"I miss going upstairs after a workout and having sore feet," he said. 'I used to ride my bike about 30 hours a week. I'm not tired enough to sleep at night anymore. I'm still awake at 3 a.m., asking myself, 'Why am I still awake at 3 a.m.? Sometimes I wake up in the morning with tears in my eyes.

"I used to exist as a rider. I liked the pain, I liked the cold, I fell down and got up. But as a man, who am I?"

On no longer needing to be obsessed with his weight, he added, "I'm a man." I feel like I go through an almost self-destructive phase where I gain 10 to 15 pounds, get pretty depressed, and then get back up."

Despite being a long-time FDJ member, Offredo only made his Tour de France debut in 2017 when he joined Wanty.

He was forced to watch this year and recounted the moment he stepped out of the France TV studio to watch the riders pass the Champs-Elysées on the final day.

"I felt like a kid on the street, like it was my first time. I got goosebumps and my eyes widened at the Tour de France riders, the superheroes who had reached the end of the road.

"I saw my colleagues Thomas Voeckler and Thierry Adam riding by on their TV bikes, and I said to myself, 'I've got to go back to the studio. I went back to the studio, but I didn't feel good. I was very emotional."