As we reported yesterday, Campbell Flakemore has dissolved his contract with BMC Racing Team. The Australian rider, who won the 2014 U23 World Championship time trial title in Spain has elaborated on his reasons in an interview with CyclingTips, talking about a difficult year in the professional peloton and a lonely life.

"I am leaving the team but also finished with cycling just in general for now", he told. "I think it was a good decision and I’m happy that I’ve finally made it because it wasn’t something that just happened overnight; it’s something I’ve been thinking about probably properly for 18 months now."

Flakemore started his 2015 season with a crash at the Tour Down Under. He broke his collarbone. Some days earlier, he finished 4th in the Australian Championships road race and Cadel Evans described his great potential. "The amount of work and sacrifice required to get to that level and be a Grand Tour winner, people that aren’t in cycling have no idea what it takes. I don’t really see myself being able to do that and make all those sacrifices to be a top rider," he added.

"[The WorldTour] it’s not the glitz and glamour of what it looks like on the TV, which is what everyone sees. It wasn’t for me and I’m happy I’m out for now."

Even if he has some friends in the peloton, the lonely life is really difficult. "I did have guys around me like Nathan Earle and Caleb [Ewan], who was living quite close, but there was a lot of times when you were by yourself and, yeah, it just wasn’t for me. I asked myself, do I envisage doing this for the next 10 years? The answer was no. It was good to get out now before maybe it was a bit too late to try something else."