Throughout his career, Gibbons lived in Girona, Spain, as a base for competing in Europe. However, the birth of his son in late 2024 completely changed his outlook on life. “My wife and I had a baby, and that changed everything. We were struggling, and I decided I had to put my family first. Being away from the support of family and friends was taking its toll on us,” he explained.
Cycling, a precarious economy for outsiders
During his ten seasons as a pro, Gibbons wore prestigious jerseys such as those of Team Dimension Data, UAE Team Emirates and most recently Lidl-Trek.
“I’ve been in Europe for ten years and every year has been an administrative struggle. To go to races like Canada or the Tour of Britain I needed paperwork six months in advance, and I had to physically go to embassies with proof of residency in Spain. For me it was manageable, but for young Africans starting out, it’s almost impossible,” he complained.
His testimony highlights a structural problem in cycling: the barriers to entry for non-European talent, particularly African talent. With his retirement and that of his compatriot Louis Meintjes, only one South African, Alan Hatherly (Jayco-AlUla), remains on the WorldTour circuit.
Gibbons was part of the South African MTN-Qhubeka project and made his professional debut in 2017 with the Dimension Data team. His victory at the Tour de Langkawi that same year promised a blazing career. Over the course of his career he totaled ten wins, including two continental gold medals in 2021.
Ryan Gibbons is two-time South African road and time trial champion
However, he himself admits that he did not achieve all that his talent promised. “My numbers were good, and my coaches and teammates said I had more potential than I showed. But it was hard to stay motivated all year being away from home. Still, I loved every second of it. I have no regrets.”
Gibbons also reflected on his beginnings with a South African team, where he felt more culturally understood, but which, according to him, also limited part of his projection in the international peloton. He acknowledges youthful mistakes and a certain immaturity as causes that influenced his evolution.
Gibbons’ immediate future is far from European roads. He will return to South Africa with his family and take a well-deserved rest after nearly a decade of competing at the highest level. “Probably by December I’m already looking forward to doing something again. It would be foolish not to take advantage of my experience and contacts in cycling. Maybe my future is in the sport, maybe not. For now, I just want to enjoy the peace and quiet.”