The press release in full:
At my request, Team Katusha-Alpecin and I have mutually agreed to terminate my current contract early.
It was a long decision-making process for me, in which I asked myself many questions about how and where I want to go as a person and an athlete and what is really important to me. I love cycling and my passion for this beautiful sport hasn't gone away, but I also know what it requires of me and what I need to be successful. I believe that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and that it is a constant process to deal with them in a team in order to be strong and successful. In the last two months, I felt like I was exhausted. At the moment I can't train and race at the highest level. That's why I decided to take a break, think about my goals and make a plan for my future.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team for their support over the past 1.5 years. I would especially like to thank the team's support staff. From the bottom of my heart I can say that they are the best and hardest working people I have ever seen. I am sorry that I could not fuel your passion with more victories and results. I would also like to thank the sponsors and partners who continue to believe in the team with their support and knowledge.
I made this decision based on my experience that change leads to new paths and opportunities. Despite all the uncertainties, I am confident that I will eventually find new opportunities and challenges. From now on, I will prioritise my happiness and joy above all else and look for ways to find this in my future. I'm very excited about what's to come. I want to race again in the future and need to work out a plan to achieve this goal.
This is the biggest challenge of my career and I am taking it on.
