Swiss rider Aurelien Clerc has decided to end his career early after failing to find a new team for next season. The 30-year-old had been in negotiations with the American BMC Pro-Continental team after French ProTour team AG2r opted not to renew his contract. Unfortunately for Clerc, BMC had no room left for the sprinter.
Clerc’s career started in 2001 with the Post Swiss Team, and during his nine years as a professional he had 16 victories. He rode for the Quick Step team from 2002-2004, Phonak from 2005-2006, Bouygues Telecom 2007-2008, and finally AG2r this past season. In 2008 Clerc pulled his biggest result, placing second to Spaniard Oscar Friere in Gent-Wevelgem. Three weeks before his performance in Gent-Wevelgem, he won the stage one sprint finish in the Driedaagse de Panne.
In 2009 Clerc’s season was marked by several unfortunate crashes, and left him without the results to secure a new contract. Clerc will enter a new phase of his life in 2010 and begin work as a consultant for a Swiss insurance company.