Johannes Frelinger has ended his 13-year professional career. The last nine seasons were spent with the team leader in various forms of Team Sunweb, which started as Skil-Shimano in 2011.

He began his professional career with Gerolsteiner in 2007 before moving to Milram in 2009, where he finished second to winner Pavel Brut (Tinkoff) on stage 5 of the 2008 Giro d'Italia. On this stage, David Millar of Great Britain was so angry at not being able to contend for the stage win that he broke his chain and threw his bike over the cloud barriers.

Frelinger was part of a nine-man breakaway on the Tour stage from Barcelona to Andorra Alcaris, but was unable to catch final winners Brice Feil (Agritubel) and Christophe Kern (Cofidis) on the final climb to the finish.

In later years, however, Frelinger learned to regularly play the role of "road captain" and used his experience and abilities to the benefit of his teammates.

"As a teenager, I dreamed of becoming a professional cyclist. I am so happy to have spent so many years making my dream come true," Frelinger said on the team's website.

"I couldn't have imagined it after just one Grand Tour, but today, when I look back on 15 races over three weeks, 10 of them in the Vuelta a España, it's really something special.

"I am grateful and proud to be able to look back on my 13-year professional career at the highest level. I am especially grateful to Team Sunweb: I spent a major part of my career here and was able to share unforgettable moments."

The team reports that Frelinger now wants to study to become a coach to help develop young riders and is open to returning to the professional side of cycling as a coach later on.

"We have had many good years with Johannes since he joined the team in 2011," added Sunweb coach Marc Rief. He's always been a rider willing to go out of his way to support other riders, and if the team asks him to do something, he does it."

"From the time we started the team until now, he has used his experience and his role within the team to help and guide the young riders both on and off the bike in the races.

"We are very happy to have him on the team. I wish him all the best for the future," said Lief.