Ion Izagirre forced to retire early after training crash

Professional cyclist Ion Izagirre has been forced to end his career prematurely following a training crash near his home in the Basque Country. The 37-year-old Cofidis rider sustained a fracture to his left wrist during the incident.

Izagirre had previously announced plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season, with Il Lombardia on 10 October intended to be his final professional race. Due to the injury, he will be unable to participate in his remaining scheduled Italian races or his planned farewell in Como.

His final professional victory occurred on 12 September at the Memorial Marco Pantani, where he secured the 20th win of his career. Over 16 seasons, Izagirre achieved notable successes, including stage wins in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España, as well as general classification victories in the Tour of Poland and the Tour Pays Basque.