'I thought I'd give it a shot' – inside Taylor Phinney's comeback, 16 years after his last Track World Championships
In an exclusive interview, the American tells Cycling Weekly how he's closing a loop on his career, with his sights on the LA Olympics in 2028
Taylor Phinney, once a celebrated cyclist, made a surprise comeback to the Track World Championships after a 16-year hiatus. The 36-year-old, who won a silver medal in the time trial at the Road World Championships in 2012, hadn't raced on a track in over a decade. He was contacted by USA Cycling in early winter, after the 2028 LA Olympics were announced, and was invited to join the men's team pursuit squad.
This decision came after a training camp in Gran Canaria, where he felt good and thought about the opportunity to compete in the LA Olympics, a legacy of his parents who both won gold medals there. Phinney officially announced his return to competitive cycling in April, with the LA Olympics as his goal. Despite the sacrifices, including missing the Tour de France Femmes, Phinney aims to improve upon his gold medal win at the US National Track Championships in late August.
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