Adrien Costa Announces Leave of Absence from Cycling

July 14, 2017 – Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team announced today that Adrien Costa will take a break from competitive cycling for the remainder of the 2017 season.

The California native, who is one of the sport's most promising young talents, has cited fatigue as the reason behind the hiatus, explaining that at just 19 years of age, he wants to make sure that he doesn't rush his development.

“This was an incredibly tough decision for me to make, but for my personal development I think it's the best option. I want to take time to do other things that I've always been passionate about and finding a new balance between the sport I love and the rest of my life.

“I dream of achieving so much in cycling, but at my age it's important to remember that I have time on my side and that the worst thing I could do is rush myself and ultimately burn out before I'm ready.

“I'll take the rest of the season to study and travel in Europe, and give myself the time and the space that I need to prepare myself for the future. There's so much I want to achieve, not just in cycling but in life in general, and I want to make sure that I make the right calls at this stage of my career.

“I feel like I'm lucky to be able to take this time, and that's thanks to the incredible people I have around me. I am so grateful for the support and understanding I’ve received from the team, and I look forward to returning to cycling as soon as I'm ready.”

Now in his second year under Axel Merckx's guidance within the Axeon Hagens Berman program, Costa had a stellar debut season in 2016, achieving historic success when he became the first American to win the Tour de Bretagne. That special victory was followed by taking second overall at the UCI 2.HC-ranked Tour of Utah, against some of the strongest riders in the professional peloton.

The 2017 season saw Costa race at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Espoirs, the U23 version of Belgium's legendary one-day classic, and the Volta ao Alentejo in Portugal where he helped teammate Logan Owen win the penultimate stage and Axeon Hagens Berman secure the overall team title.

Axeon Hagens Berman fully supports Costa in his decision and remains focused in its efforts to develop the best young cyclists in the world.

Photo: Joyce Jason Ghijs

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