Wednesday, 18 July 2012:

A succession of "DNFs" among Matt Wilson's results this season give a strong clue to why he will soon retire from professional cycling.

The 2004 Australian road champion and Tour de France finisher he will stop racing next month, but will stay at Orica-GreenEDGE from next season as a team director.

Wilson, 35, said he wanted to retire at the end of the season, but has realised his body will not let him.

He has suffered six DNFs - did not finish - in races this year.

The domestique will race for the last time next month at the Vattenfall Cyclassics in Hamburg, Germany.

"My body just isn't as strong as it used to be," he said in a team statement.

"I find myself getting sick and injured more often, getting back to top condition has become harder and harder.

"I got to the point where I had to start thinking about my future and what my body would be like if I kept pushing it the way I have been.

"I've never been a rider with huge natural ability, so if I'm not 100 per cent, I suffer badly."

Wilson also won the 2007 Herald Sun Tour and helped Baden Cooke win the Tour de France green jersey in 2004.

He will be with Orica-GreenEDGE at the Vuelta a Espana to learn more about his new responsibilities and then become a sports director next year.

"I've started to feel that I can be of more use to my team in the car than on the bike," he said.

"When you realise that, it's time to stop."

AAP