Last Chance Saloon: 5 Cyclists That Could Be Gone After 2010

Gilberto Simoni

At 38 years of age, Gilberto Simoni seems at the end of the road in his professional cycling career. A hero in his home country of Italy, "Gibo" has two Giro d'Italia wins to his credit along with stage wins in all three grand tours. He has had an illustrious career marked by controversy and triumph. Now mellowed and tranquilo, Simoni should roll with the pro peloton for one more year, and then call it quits.

George Hincapie

George Hincapie is still going very strong at 36 years old, but father time waits for no man and the end is near for "Big George." Beloved among his peers and true American cycling fans, Hincapie has laid it all on the line throughout his career, unwilling to bend to the agony of defeat and bad luck. Through the years Hincapie has gone from a sprinter to a strong man, and he'll hope for that elusive Paris-Roubaix win in 2010 with team BMC. Hincapie's fate will likely depend on his results in 2010. Should he take a classic he would most certainly retire, while falling short again at Flanders and Roubaix may see him stay one more year in the pro peloton. Either way, whenever he retires, he'll go down in history as arguably the best one day American cyclist ever, bad luck or not.

Jens Voigt

Jens Voigt has built a huge following worldwide over the years behind staunch team support riding and ruthless attacking. Jens seems to have an ability to suffer like no one else, and so therefore he is admired by his fellow cyclists and fans alike. Over his 13 year career, Voigt has garnered wins at the Giro and Tour de France, and has ruled the Criterium International race over the last decade, winning the three stage mini Tour de France on five occasions. Now though, at 38, Jens seems to be slowing down, if only a tad. The time may have come for Jens to ride off into the sunset, but not before one more year at the front end of the peloton, riding tempo for his team leaders on the Saxo Bank team.

Jason McCartney

At 36, McCartney too is coming up against the end of his career, and the Saxo Bank domestique will likely end his career after 2010. The past few seasons have seen the American enjoy a sort of resurgence, riding on a Pro Tour team in support of some of the best riders in the world. But with exception to the KOM classification in last year's Tour of California, McCartney had a very quiet 2009. He'll ride as a support rider once again in 2010, looking to light the fire for one more year.

Robbie McEwen

The "Pocket Rocket," now 37 years old, has some rust on his superchargers, but one more good year seems possible for the Australian fast man. McEwen has had an amazing year, pioneering on behalf of Australia as a sprinter capable of taking on the world's best. He has won multiple stages at all the grand tours, took the green sprinter's jersey on three occasions at the Tour, and added numerous other victories along the way over the 14 years of his fiery professional career. He'll have one more year as a leader for the Russian Katuysha team, but as he has not scored a grand tour win in two seasons, a resurgence is not likely. Instead McEwen will enjoy one more season as a celebration of one of the best cycling careers in the history of Australia.