Martin Söderström Announces Retirement

Aug 26, 2022 at 9:33
by Alicia Leggett  
Martin Soderstrom and Andrew Taylor road tripping through Mexico during Adidas Baja or Bust.
Photo: Paris Gore

Martin Söderström announced on social media that he has chosen to step back from professional riding after an illustrious 15-year career.

The stylish slopestyle and freeride athlete was one of the first Swedish riders to make his mark on the international cycling world, paving the way for younger riders like Emil Johansson, who credits Söderström as one of his biggest riding influences. From the FMB World Tour and Joyride to Rampage, Söderström has racked up a long list of slopestyle podiums, video parts, and so many more achievements within the sport in the nearly two decades since a skatepark opened in his hometown and he there discovered the joy of riding on two wheels.

bigquotesThe time has come! I am happy & proud to say that I look back on my life/career on two wheels with a smile on my face! All the amazing people I’ve met, fans, places I’ve been, partners that believed in me year after year and family that supported me the way they could. I have informed my sponsors that I won’t be a professional athlete the way I’ve been for the past 15 years anymore. I’ll always be involved in the sport & love it from the bottom of my heart. It will just be more on my own terms & on a different level. The biggest thanks go out to my amazing partners you guys are like family to me & I’m forever grateful that you’ve made the life I’ve lived possible. (Of course also all you guys, it’s not possible to be a pro-biker without followers/fans.)—Martin Söderström

We at Pinkbike would like to extend our congratulations to Martin for an incredible career. It's been a joy to watch, and we can't wait to see what's next.



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84 Comments
  • 228 3
 Congrats on a killer career! Please dont go to eslopestyle for retirement
  • 64 0
 He's doing xc races and xc skiing right now, he's getting fitter as he gets older
  • 25 0
 @bashhard: if he wanted he could could be a professional xc skier. The results he has made as an amateur hobby skier are amazing.
  • 10 0
 @bashhard: he shared a few days ago he finished a 90+ km marathon race and averaged 32 km/h!!!! Insane.
  • 4 0
 @mikaeljc: Someone should hand him a sponsor deal...
  • 1 11
flag BenPea (Aug 26, 2022 at 13:20) (Below Threshold)
 @bashhard: RIP
  • 81 0
 Thank you for everything you've done for the sport! One of the all time best mtb personalities.
  • 34 1
 Nothing reminds you how old you are getting more than your favorite athletes retiring...lol Eager to see what's next for him. Hopefully something where we get to see more of him because he has such a great personality.
  • 6 0
 I would say that break started the end of his Slopestyle career. He couldn't hold his body together after that...definitely a ground breaking rider and one of the most stylish to ever ride the bike.
  • 3 0
 came here to say the same thing! i remember when he came onto the scene ... man i'm getting old!
  • 19 0
 One of the best 360 clicked tables, or whatever you call it, in the game. Wanted him to land that last drop so bad at Joyride the year he broke his femur. That was a winning run. That being said, I thought he was already retired? I guess not.
  • 5 0
 Retired from competition but not retired from making a living as a sponsored rider, I believe.
  • 4 0
 @BiNARYBiKE: I am announcing that I am retiring from competition, but staying on as a sponsored rider. Yes, I've never completed, and no I'm not currently sponsored.
  • 15 0
 I always liked being able to make my drinks fizzy
  • 2 0
 Nice
  • 12 0
 Cheers to an insanely impressive career! Always a favorite to watch, incredibly stylish and inovative! Good luck with whatever comes next !
  • 14 0
 youtu.be/S7tKTsz-QAo
@2:16 best segment
  • 14 0
 Do you know who I am?
Martin Söderström!
  • 11 0
 Yeah what an instant classic that video was, for years that video had me chasing the high of steezy martin soderstrom downhill segments. That song went on my playlist and I still occasionally watch this to get stoked.
  • 1 0
 @jbones84: same here!
  • 1 0
 Thanks for posting this..was trying to find it in my pinkbike saved vids!
  • 8 0
 One of the classiest humans ever! I will always remember how he spent valuable time riding with my son on the Sea Otter pump track during a practice session... Such a rad dude!!!
  • 8 0
 Respect. Always the smart call to get out while healthy, happy and on a high note. Best to your future M.
  • 8 0
 Legendaren går i pension...
  • 4 0
 Props to Martin for his contributions to the MTB community! He's always been such a great ambassador for the sport and great entertainer and host. Positive attitude, helped bring Sweden to the forefront of the slope world, and also recovered from some massive injuries with grace. Martin always puts a smile on my face. Cheers to the man!
  • 6 0
 His 2013 joyride run was incredible. One of my all time favorite riders. Wish him all the best in the future!
  • 6 0
 martin was my favourite slope rider back in the day. Legendary battles with semenuk. Insane style.
  • 4 0
 one of my favorites was semenuk vs soderstrom at the claymore challenge back in the day! good riding all around
  • 5 0
 I think Söderström also built an ideal personal brand as athlete. The guy is just warm happy and full of stoke!
  • 4 0
 Martin has always been a huge inspiration for me growing up. And I appreciate all he has done the swedish scene. I hope we get more team douche!
  • 3 0
 Congratulations Martin! hope he becomes a coach or at least keeps riding as himself'. Always a great guy to watch with a great personality and outlook. Looking forward to what's next for him!
  • 3 0
 Best style like Butter in a hot Pan. I remember reading a few years ago that he wanted to focus more on filming, did he release some some parts edits in the last years that I might have missed?
  • 5 0
 Damn.. we lose one of the greatest!!
  • 6 1
 Hasn’t he been retired from Slopestyle for close to 10 years now?
  • 1 0
 same thing!!
  • 3 0
 Almost ten years later and Team Douche is still my favorite mtb edit OF ALL TIME. THANK YOU MARTIN!!!
  • 3 0
 The team douche segment will forever be one of the best edits I’ve ever seen. “Hey specialised punks”
  • 3 0
 Always has been and always will be on of my favorite riders. He's badass and classy. Thanks buddy, you'll be sorely missed.
  • 2 0
 What a great guy and what an awesome career! Throws me right back to his Shiny Toy Guns edit. Was this his first?
youtu.be/RUsr29Wbv9Q
  • 1 0
 Congratulations Martin! I had to pleasure to ride with him years ago in Quebec at city 8. It was inspirational for me. Thank you
  • 2 0
 Congrats on an incredible career buddy! Always professional, stylish and classy!! Much respect.
  • 1 0
 One of the best things I’ve seen is Martin killing it in pump track in whistler while barspinning the last jump. Instant fan favourite.
  • 2 0
 Martin's Tuck No-Handers are the standard I use to grade everyone else's, they are just plain beautiful
  • 3 0
 He must have read the electric dirt jumper article and decided it is time
  • 1 0
 One of my favorite riders! Always smiling and super stylish. Enjoy kicking back- and still shredding harder than we can ever dream of!
  • 2 0
 One of my all time favorite riders to watch. Congrats on an amazing career.
  • 1 0
 Was great working with Martin over the years, he was one of the best in our sport, good luck in the next chapter
  • 2 0
 Oh man! Such an inspiration. All the best for the future, Martin
  • 2 0
 The best nacs in the game. Style for days. Congrats on an awesome career.
  • 2 0
 One of the best to ever do it!
  • 1 0
 Great great smyle nd style....all the best men...And please show us your next adventure...cheeeers from Portugal
  • 1 0
 A true inspiration growing up following his careers. The best nacks in the game! All the best in wherever you do next.
  • 2 0
 Announces new jump bike specific line of lubes Saturday.
  • 2 0
 Def one of the all time great riders and ambassadors of the sport.
  • 2 0
 The realest of the reals! Congrats!
  • 1 0
 The lesser heard story of all his injuries, interview by HKT Podcast: m.youtube.com/watch?v=DbYxV-uKhpU
  • 1 0
 Retire... didn't that happen during the most epic slopestyle competition battle of all time ending in a broken ankle?
  • 1 0
 Came here to say thanks for inspiring so many of us to ride better! Absolute legend.
  • 1 0
 Congrats Pinkbike on the new freeride slopestyle presenter!
  • 1 0
 What a class act! Good luck on all your future endeavors!
  • 1 0
 I announced retirement as well but my employer was just laughing...
  • 1 0
 Probably heard Henry on the Crankworx podcast episode.
  • 1 0
 Gutted to see him retire, such an impressive rider.
  • 1 0
 Rad rider with awesome style.
  • 2 0
 What did he retire from?
  • 2 2
 His job as a plumber in Sweden.
  • 1 0
 One of the most stylish riders ever
  • 1 1
 Are you going to retire into gravel racing.....?
  • 1 0
 Congrats!
  • 1 0
 what a dude!
  • 3 6
 *douche
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