James Toseland's retirement

[kelli52]

09.09.11 | A letter to my fans

I wanted to write you a personal letter to explain the factors that have forced my early retirement and to take the oportunity to thank you for all of the amazing support that you have given me throughout my career.

As you all know, I’ve had a tough time since injuring my right wrist during a testing crash at Aragon in Spain earlier this year. At the time of first seeing my Consultant, he warned that the damage to my wrist could be career-threatening, but we both committed to doing everything we could to ensure that I could continue racing.

Having struggled through a couple of races and then crashing out in the terrible conditions at Nurburgring in Germany, I went back to see the Consultant, Mike Hayton, this week and the diagnosis was the worst I could have prepared myself for.

The easiest way to explain it is that I don’t have enough range of movement in my wrist to race professionally and no amount of physiotherapy is going to improve that. This all led to the verdict was that it’s no longer safe for me to continue a career in motorcycle racing.

I have to put the safety of the other riders on track first, as well as thinking about my own safety. Knowing that I will never again be fully fit to race at the highest level, it’s also unfair for me to occupy a great seat in WSBK that a young, talented rider who is fully fit could take better advantage of.

Obviously, the decision has been a difficult one and it’s been really hard to take the advice of my Consultant and admit defeat on this occasion but I really have no other option left at this stage. I’ve tried everything possible for the last few months but the sad truth is that none of it has worked and my wrist will never fully heal enough for me to operate the throttle properly and navigate right hand turns.

You have been amazing in the best and worst times of my career and it’s been almost like having a second family to support me through my career. So, thank you for everything and I hope that I have done you proud.

[Anna]

It really is a horrible way to retire and even though I wasn't a big fan I'll miss him! It is very sad news.

[kelli52]

Obviously I'm gutted especially seeing as though he spend £25,000 of his own money desperately trying to get his wrist back up to speed.... but James is so talented, I'm sure we havent seen the last of him.

[Psycho Seal]

It isn't nice having to retire through injury. I hope the album he is planning is a success

[kelli52]

Me too If he brings it out soon I will buy you a copy for your birthday

[Pete]

I didn't know he was bringing out an album I'll have to check it out when it comes out .

Sorry to hear he's injured though he was alright deserved at least one more chance in MotoGP.

[Psycho Seal]

He wouldn't have got another chance in moto gp.

Thanks Kelli, I was going to buy it

[kelli52]

In an emotional final exclusive diary, James Toseland reflects on a brilliant motorcycling career after he was forced to retire from the sport he loves last week.

As you are probably aware, I have been forced to retire from the sport I love due to my ongoing battle with injury.

It was never the plan to walk away from racing under these circumstances, but following the meeting I had with my surgeon last week, there simply wasn’t another option.

Ever since I was a teenager, racing is all I have ever known. To be in a situation where you’re forced to walk away from something you love so much is an unbelievably hard thing to do.

However as you know, I have been doing everything over the past six months to try and get the movement back in my wrist, but it has now got to a stage where it just won’t get any better. The bones have fused together and unfortunately, I will never be able to get it back to the way it was.

So, following lengthy discussions with my management, friends and family, I decided that the best – and really only – option was to step away from racing with immediate effect.

Quite simply, I only want to be on the grid if I have a chance of winning without putting myself and my fellow competitors at risk. With my wrist the way it is, I will never be able to ride at 100 per cent again.

I had no intention of retiring from the sport this early on – I saw myself racing into my late thirties – but racing is unpredictable and you can never plan too far ahead. Sadly, my time has come - it’s time to go.

I have worked all my life to get to the top and to have two world championships to my name is an amazing feeling. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every second of my career, and my desire to succeed over the past 12 months has been as strong as ever.

But sadly it just wasn’t meant to be. The comments and support since the announcement has been breathtaking, and I can’t thank you all enough for helping me through what was a truly life-changing decision.

I would also like to thank everyone who has supported me over the years and all those fans who posted such nice comments on here when times were tough. It is one of the best feelings in the world to know that you have such a great fan base, and your support has been amazing.

You always have to take the rough with the smooth in life, and I would like to think that we have had our fair share of the good times.

Every racer knows that they have a short shelf-life at the top, and I take a lot of pride in what I have achieved over the years. I have been lucky enough to reach the very top of the sport and race against some of the best ever, and that feeling you get when you are number one is something you simply can’t describe.

I started out racing with the dream of being the best rider in the world and I am humbled by the fact that I made it reality. But now it’s time for a new start and a new chapter in my life.

In terms of what the future holds, I haven’t made any plans just yet. I’ll spend the next couple of weeks digesting what has happened and probably spend time with those who are closest to me, and enjoy life with family and friends. It’s been an amazing 11 years and who knows, the best might still be to come.