Dumoulin reveals mental struggles behind early retirement - 'I wasn't the boss of my own career'

"In the last years of my career I had difficulties with the pressure, the travel, the structure. I didn't have control over my own career," Dumoulin told El Tiempo in a revealing interview. "My team, my sponsors, the media, the fans, everyone wanted something from me and nobody asked: 'Tom, what do you want?'"

The Dutch rider, who retired with 22 professional victories including the 2017 Giro d'Italia and the 2017 World Time Trial Championship, explained how the mental toll became too much to bear despite his success at cycling's highest level.

"I felt mentally exhausted. When you're at a high level of competition, you need that mental strength and to be solid on the bike to overcome obstacles and compete. I found that the pressure from outside and inside was something that cost a lot of mental strength and energy," said Dumoulin.

Dumoulin made the dramatic decision to step away from the sport despite being at the top of his game. His retirement announcement featured the stark admission: "I can't take it anymore. The tank is empty, my legs are heavy, I can't go on."

He explained: "I didn't want to make the decision. I tried to avoid it for two years, but the main reason was that I felt out of control and felt I wasn't living my dream anymore. I didn't feel like the boss of my own career."

Dumoulin competed in 14 Grand Tours during his career, taking podium finishes in both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 2018, alongside his 2017 Giro victory. When asked if he regretted retiring so young, he was emphatic.

"No, I don't regret anything. I'm happy. Of course I'm happy with what I achieved in my career, I have many good memories. Despite having two really difficult final years, regret is definitely not the feeling I have now," he said. "I had a fantastic career that I'm proud of and I wouldn't change it for anything."