Dan Martin has announced that he's going to retire from professional cycling at the end of this season.

Across his 14 year career, he registered five stage victories on the Grand Tours and had six top tens.

The Irish Olympian says he's ready for new challenges in his life away from cycling.

“After 14 seasons as a professional cyclist, I have decided to call it a day,” the 35-year old announced on social media.

“Though this huge decision has taken much thought, I feel that the time is right to move on as I want to achieve so many other things in life.”

“In some ways, deciding to stop has been challenging and complex; it’s perhaps one of the biggest and most important decisions I have ever made; and in other ways, it’s been easy. Though I am still competitive, I’ve realised that racing has lost the fun element: the whole reason I race in the first place.

“I still love cycling and feel privileged to have called racing bikes, something I have relished since I was a kid, my ‘job.’ Through cycling, I have met so many amazing people who have enriched my life and shared some incredible experiences with them.

“Giving 100% to what I do has always been how I operate. Though I could continue racing for a few years to come, and for many, this would seem like the obvious thing to do; I am at a point where I’m ready to take on some exciting new challenges in life.”