Twenty-four-year-old Uno-X Mobility rider Anne Dorthe Ysland has chosen to end her professional cycling career due to a chronic struggle with ulcerative colitis.
The Norwegian was first diagnosed in late 2022 with the condition, which causes inflammation in the bowel.
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“I had done so much work, I used all the medicine I could to avoid symptoms, but I was still one of the first riders to get dropped,” she said. “I felt horrible on the training rides and even worse in the races… At that point, I started to give up.
“After coming home from Australia, my symptoms became much worse and the medication stopped working the way it had before. Following new examinations at the hospital, I was told that the inflammation in my bowel had never been more extensive, even while on full treatment.”
Ysland explained that that hospital appointment was a “turning point” for her. “I realised that the medication had mainly been managing the symptoms, while the disease itself had continued to progress,” she said. “When the treatment stopped working, I had no choice but to take a step back and listen to my body.”
Among the Norwegian’s symptoms were severe stomach pain and diarrhoea with blood. The medication she took also suppressed her immune system, leaving her susceptible to colds and infections.
Sharing the news of her retirement on Instagram, Ysland said the decision had been “both heavy and unreal to accept”.
“My body said stop,” she wrote. “Cycling has been a huge part of my life and shaped who I am. Letting go is difficult, but I know this is the right choice.”
Ysland joined Uno-X at 19 years old in 2022, and this year began her fifth season with the team. Her best career results are 6th at Binche Chimay Binche and 13th at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2022. She also raced the inaugural Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift that year, placing 91st overall.
Her Uno-X team manager Thor Hushovd said women’s racing has lost one of its “biggest smiles and best laughs” with Ysland’s retirement. “No matter what hit her, Anne Dorthe kept smiling and helped the team with a great attitude,” he said.
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