Michael van den Ham announces (semi)retirement from racing

For a guy who has announced his retirement, Michael van den Ham is having a great season. At the second USCX weekend in Rochester, NY, the four-time Canadian national champion was fifth and sixth. In both races, either led at one point or was in a position to fight for the podium.

But the Prairie-born racer, now living in Chilliwack, B.C., has announced that this will be his last season of pro cyclocross racing. After a successful career that includes numerous national championships (three elite and one under-23), strong international cyclocross results and an ever-growing list of gravel wins, the Giant-Easton racer will be using his experience to help the next generation as part of Cycling Canada’s coaching program.

We spoke to van den Ham on Friday as he was walking the Rochester course. Ever the humble Canadian, he tried to steer the conversation towards the next generation of riders several times. That community focus is something that’s been consistently present when we’ve talked to van den Ham in the past. It will serve him well in the next phase of his career, too.

But before we let him fully shift gears, we wanted to dig back into the career of a four-time Canadian national champion. We find out what his favourite memories are and talk about the one goal he’d still like to accomplish this fall. Oh, and why he’ll race gravel but thinks ‘cross is still the future.

Canadian Cycling Magazine: First off, is this a retirement? A semi-retirement?

Michael van den Ham: I’d say definitely semi-retirement. I’m still going to continue racing. I’ll still do a full gravel season next year, and a little mountain biking like last year. But retirement from the pro ‘cross scene.

What brought about that change? When did you make this decision?

Good question. I think probably this decision is a few years in the making. Ever since I started racing I always told myself – and told my wife – that I didn’t want to try to hold on for too long. I wanted to go out while I was still racing fast and feeling good about my performance. I also said when I stop getting better, that’s probably the time when I’m ready to focus on something else.

Over the last year and a half, I started getting that feeling. Even before this season, I sort of knew that last year was the last time I was going to go over to Europe. It’s been such an experience for me to…