Lars Petter Nordhaug and Leigh Howard will not be part of the Aqua Blue Sport roster in 2018, the team announced on Monday. Nordhaug has decided to retire from professional cycling with immediate effect, while Howard has opted to switch his focus to track racing in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Nordhaug was a notable signing for Aqua Blue Sport ahead of the 2017 season as the Irish squad made the step up to Pro Continental level, but his campaign was blighted by Cytomegalovirus. On Monday, the Norwegian confirmed that he has brought the curtain down on his professional career.
“2017 was a difficult year for me with the recurrence of a CMV virus which impacted my performance during the season. At 33 years of age, I am proud to be able to look back on a long career as a professional cyclist, and to have played some small part in the success of Aqua Blue Sport in its first year,” Nordhaug said. “After some reflection I have decided that the best course of action for me and for Aqua Blue Sport is to depart the team.”
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Nordhaug emerged from the same Maxbo-Bianchi stable that developed Edvald Boasson Hagen and Alexander Kristoff, and he moved up to WorldTour level in 2010 with Team Sky. The biggest victory of Nordhaug’s career came at the Grand Prix de Montréal in 2012.
After a two-year stint with Belkin, which included a Norwegian national title, he returned to Sky in 2015, winning the Tour de Yorkshire that season. Nordhaug missed out on Aqua Blue Sport’s Grand Tour debut at this year’s Vuelta a España and made his final appearance for the team at Paris-Tours.
“I firmly believe in this project and am not willing to risk the consequences of not being able to perform to my best in 2018,” Nordhaug said. “I would like to sincerely thank team owner Rick Delaney and all the Aqua Blue Sport backroom team for their support and understanding, and wish my teammates the best for the future.”
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