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Monday, November 10, 2008 Zabel ready to retire by VeloNation Press at 1:17 PM EST   comments Categories: Pro Cycling, Track   German rider Erik Zabel is ending his career as one of the most prolific sprinters the sport has known. Currently competing in the Six Days at Munich, the rider told sportsya.com that although he will miss the sport after he retires, he will have a sense of "relief" once his career that spanned 16-years is over. "Of course I will miss cycling, but undoubtedly it's a relief for me too. When you're not so active, you risk less dangers: races on a slippery track, snow, falls (...) Just thinking all that stuff ends is very nice," Zabel said to sportsya.com. Zabel told the German press he wasn't racing as intensely "because this is the last race." Upon his retirement, the affable rider from East Berlin will have done his share of writing into the sport's history books. With stage wins in each of the Grand Tours, a record six consecutive Green Jersey's (Best Sprinter) in the Tour de France, and earning the nickname Mr. Milan-Sanremo for his past dominance of the years first classic. With a total of around 200 victories he will leave the sport as a rider who was always in the hunt during a sprint finish.       comments Follow @Pro_Cycling Tweet Subscribe via RSS or daily email Contact the editor about this article