Jose Vicente “Chente” Garcia Acosta has announced his retirement from professional cycling, bringing the curtain down on a seventeen-year career. The 39-year-old rider turned professional with the Banesto team in 1995, and has remained with the team of Eusebio Unzué, which is now Movistar, ever since.
He had intended to retire on completion of the Vuelta a España, his home Grand Tour, in mid-September, but a crash on the descent of the Alto de Valdepeñas de Jaén on stage five saw him forced to abandon the race for the first time in fifteen appearances.
“This is a choice I had taken some months ago, and I would have liked to take it during the Vuelta a España, and on the bike,” he said in a press conference in Pamplona. “However, a crash that was not part of my plans made me choose to wait until I was recovered from the accident to set my future definitely clear.”
In his seventeen-year career with Unzué’s team, Chente has served some of the biggest riders in the sport, including five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain, Alex Zulle, and Abraham Olano. He was part of the team that saw Oscar Pereiro take victory in the 2006 Tour (after the disqualification of Floyd Landis), and supported Alejandro Valverde in his 2009 Vuelta win.
Having spent so long in the professional peloton, the 39-year-old had a long list of people to thank.
“The list would be too long and I'm sure I'd be forgetting someone,” he said, “so I prefer that all those who were close to me at some point feel this recognition as theirs. I also want to thank the team, my team, where I spent my full sporting career. Sponsors had come and gone, but I always felt like being part of the same family.”
As one of the hardest working domestiques in the peloton, Garcia Acosta’s own list of victories is relatively short. He has taken two stages of the Vuelta though – to Alto del Naranco in 1997, and Ávila in 2002 – as well as one in the Tour de France – into Drauguignan in 2000, where he denied the French riders on Bastille Day.
“I leave this sport with just few victories in my palmarès, but I feel part of many more,” he explained. “[The stars'] recognition and, overall, the immense love of the fans, which I always felt close to me. My biggest reward for so many years of sacrifice was your continued support.”
The Navarran will take a few months before deciding where he will go next, but his departing team paid tribute to his hard work, sacrifice and loyalty over the years.
“His figure, always a symbol of fortitude and sacrifice towards his team leaders,” said the Movistar statement, “is already a part of the legend in that kind of team cycling García Acosta always dignified like no one since his first years as pro rider.”
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Garcia Acosta’s statement in full:
Good evening and thanks everyone for coming.
I got you all together here to announce that, after 17 seasons as a professional cyclist, time has come to put an end into my sporting career. This is a choice I had taken some months ago, and I would have liked to take it during the Vuelta a España, and on the bike. However, a crash that was not part of my plans made me choose to wait until getting recovered from the accident to set my future definitely clear.
Committed to take this step, in this moment I can't do anything but thank all those ones supporting me during these years: my family, friends, team mates, fans... The list would be too long and I'm sure I'd be forgetting someone, so I prefer that all those who were close to me at some point feel this recognition as theirs. I also want to thank the team, my team, where I spent my full sporting career. Sponsors had come and gone, but I always felt like being part of the same family. So, thanks to all directors, team mates and staff who shared with me so many moments, inside and outside the roads during this career.
I leave this sport with just few victories in my palmarès, but I feel part of many more. Those from Miguel, Abraham, Alex, Chava [Jose Maria Jiminez – ed], Óscar, Alejandro... I worked so much for my team leaders, but got such a big reward for that. Their recognition and, overall, the immense love of the fans, which I always felt close to me. My biggest reward for so many years of sacrifice was your continued support.
Keep loving cycling.
Thank you.
Chente