Record Tour de France racer O’Grady ends career

Tour de France veteran Stuart O’Grady announced Tuesday that he has ended his cycling career after taking part in his record 17th race around France.

This summer, the 39-year-old Australian pulled even with George Hincapie with his record 17th Tour appearance. O’Grady was not the oldest competitor at the 100th Tour de France, that honour going to 41-year-old Jens Voigt, racing at his 16th Tour.

O’Grady originally wanted to end his career in 2014. But he called it an end one season earlier, collecting three stage victories in the 17 starts since 1997, wearing the leader’s yellow jersey for nine days. O’Grady also collected the gold medal in the Madison race with Graeme Brown at the 2004 Olympic Games.