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Olympic champion Absalon announces Rio swansong

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

French Olympic mountain bike champion Julien Absalon has confirmed he will retire after next year's Rio Games. 

   The 35-year-old is aiming for a third Olympic title after a disappointing London 2012 Games, when he failed to win a medal.  

   "Rio is my last big goal, and it will be my last race," the world No. 1 told Rio2016.com on Wednesday. "I will stop my career after that."

   Considered as the greatest cross-country mountain bike rider of all time, Absalon rated Switzerland's current world champion and No. 2 ranked Nino Schurter as his main rivals in Rio. 

   The five-time world champion finished fourth at the Rio 2016 mountain bike test event in October.  Endi