Richard Virenque to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Paris
  • Last updated on

Virenque created a stir on Monday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

Sad news for Virenque fans. Speculation had been rife that the French athlete is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 56, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 24/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouRichard

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouRichard was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Richard Virenque was unlike any other athlete we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouRichard”
— @universalObserver, 23 Feb 2026
“Virenque wasn't retired?”
— @borisB0, 23 Feb 2026

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