OLYMPIC gold medalist Peter Kennaugh will take a break from professional cycling because of mental health issues.
Kennaugh, 29, hopes a break will allow him “to recover away from the sport.”
His team – Bora-Hansgrohe – said the break would be “indefinite” and was due to “ongoing mental health issues.”
A team statement added: “This is the best course of action to ensure he can return to full health in the near future.”
Kennaugh, who was part of the British team which won team pursuit gold at London 2012, spent seven years at Team Sky from 2010 and joined Bora-Hansgrohe in 2018.
“I would like to thank everyone at Bora-Hansgrohe for their support and understanding to allow me to recover away from the sport,” Kennaugh said. “I wish the team the best of luck for the rest of the season.”
Isle-of-Man-born Kennaugh won the team pursuit gold medal at the London Olympics with Edward Clancy, Geraint Thomas and Steven Burke.
He formed part of the team which helped Team Sky’s Chris Froome win Tour de France titles in 2013 and 2015.
He joked that he “used to get tired before he did” when they played together.
Uruguayan Robert Carmona was the previous record holder who, at the age of 53, was part of the starting 11 for Pan de Azucar in 2015.
Japanese striker, Kazuyoshi Miura, is the oldest professional footballer to score a competitive goal.
He beat Sir Stanley Matthews’ 52-year-long record in 2017 by netting the winner in Yokohama FC ‘s 1-0 victory over Thespa Kusatsu in J-League 2. (BBC)
