Is Victor Lafay's Cycling Career Coming to an End? The 50-50 Decision
Victor Lafay, a member of the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team, is facing a crucial decision regarding his future in cycling. After a challenging two-year period marked by repeated injuries and illness, Lafay has recently rediscovered his top form, as evidenced by his second-place finish in the Tour of Guangxi Queen stage to Nongla. With only 15 seconds separating him from a WorldTour stage race overall victory, Lafay's current position is unprecedented, given his history of setbacks since joining Decathlon. This comes as a stark contrast to his memorable 2023 Tour de France stage victory in San Sebastián, where he outperformed Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar.
In an interview with Daniel Benson's Substack, Lafay expressed uncertainty about his future, stating, 'I’m not sure if I’ll race again next year. I’ve not decided yet, but with these two years I’ve had a lot of time to decide on what I’d do after cycling, and I think that I’m okay to stop now. I’m happy to stop.' Lafay's contemplation is further fueled by the idea that stopping while in top form might be more appealing than continuing through struggles. He also hinted at exploring other sporting projects and even unconventional options, such as selling cheese in Japan, a passion of his.
The outcome of Saturday's race in Guangxi was influenced by a crash involving Lafay's teammate, Aurelien Paret-Peintre, who was likely to have contributed to an all-out chase. Despite the setback, Lafay's determination to win remained, as he expressed, 'I wanted to win, but we’ll go again tomorrow.'
As Lafay prepares for the final stage in Nanning, he must decide whether to continue his cycling career or pursue other endeavors. The decision will be made after the stage, and the outcome will determine whether Lafay's cycling journey will continue or come to an end.
This 50-50 decision reflects Lafay's current state of uncertainty, leaving cycling enthusiasts and fans alike eagerly awaiting his next move.
