Rafal Majka to retire at the end of 2025 season
One of the most respected domestiques in the modern peloton, Rafal Majka will bring his career to a close at the end of this year after a journey defined by climbing class, Grand Tour success, and tireless teamwork.
Rafal Majka has announced he will retire at the end of the 2025 season, closing the curtain on a professional career that began in 2011 and spanned more than a decade at the highest level. The 35-year-old confirmed the news ahead of the Tour de Pologne, which he will ride for the final time.
A pure climber with Grand Tour pedigree, Majka burst onto the scene as a young talent at Saxo Bank and quickly made his mark by finishing seventh overall at the 2013 Giro d’Italia. He went on to record five more top-10 finishes in Grand Tours: placing 5th and twice 6th at the Giro, and 3rd and 6th at the Vuelta - underlining his early credentials as a consistent GC contender.
Alongside those results, he built an impressive palmarès, claiming stage wins at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta, two polka-dot jerseys at the Tour, and an Olympic bronze medal in Rio.
But it was in the second act of his career that Majka truly found his calling - not as a team leader, but as a tireless support rider. After joining UAE Team Emirates in 2021, he became Tadej Pogačar’s most trusted mountain domestique, helping the Slovenian to a Tour de France victory, two second places, and his first Giro d’Italia title in 2024. This year, Majka was again central to the team’s plans, supporting Isaac del Toro and Juan Ayuso in their Giro campaign.
Majka currently has 16 professional wins to his name, including national titles and overall victories at the Tour of Slovenia and the Tour de Pologne. His final appearance at his home race, wearing the red-and-white jersey of Polish champion, will mark a fitting farewell - not just to a career full of personal success, but to a rider who redefined what it means to be world-class in the shadows.
