Ivan Dominguez retires
Cuban-American cyclist Ivan Dominguez has announced his retirement while his former team Jamis-Sutter Home plans to expand its international calendar as a UCI Continental team. Team director Sebastian Alexandre released a preliminary
13-rider line-up for the 2011 season, which did not include Ivan Dominguez, prompting the rider to announce his planned retirement to Cyclingnews.
"Sebastian and I spoke before the Tour of Elk Grove about next year and I told him that I was not motivated to keep racing," said Dominguez. "We spoke about it a little more and I decided that I did not want to race anymore because I was just not motivated
and I'm tired of doing all the contract stuff. I haven't won many races in the last few years. I'm happy with my decision. It will open up a place for other riders to get a contract."
The 34-year-old Dominguez was raised in Cuba and began his cycling career as a track cyclist for the Cuban National Team, with whom he won the Pan-American Gold Medal in 1997. Wanting to move to Miami with his uncle in 1998, he was forced to defect from
Cuba when he was 22 due to the American trade embargo. He gained his citizenship in 2009.
He turned professional in 2001 with the Saturn Pro Cycling Team and has gone through several US-based teams since. Under the nickname ‘The Cuban Missile,’ he developed a reputation as one of the top American sprinters. He beat Thor Hushovd in a sprint to
victory in stage seven of the 2007 Tour of California and he won the Tour of Georgia in 2008. He joined the Jamis-Sutter Home team after the disbanding of Rock Racing, but opted not to follow the team to the next level.
"We will be back, and the team name is Jamis-Sutter Home, with the majority of the 2010 riders," said Alexandre. "After a great 2009 season we needed to make some roster changes and I recruited some young guys for whom I have big expectations. When I re-built
this team this year I was thinking of 2011. So I am very excited about what we can do."
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