The 40-year-old Mitchelton-Scott road captain, one of the top domestiques of his generation, has announced he will retire from racing at next January's Tour Down Under.

While Hayman's main role was to help team leaders, he obsessed over the Paris-Roubaix classic, one of cycling's five one-day monuments.

Known as the Hell Of The North, its cobbled sections make Paris-Roubaix a particularly cruel race.

Hayman raced it 17 times and two years ago, followed Stuart O'Grady as the only two Australian winners.

Adding lustre to a popular title, Hayman had broken his arm in a race fall six weeks earlier.

"I am sure I will be remembered for one race in particular and I could not think of a better race to have my name associated with," Hayman said in a team statement.

"I fell in love with Roubaix early in my career, and it has at times felt that the race was just tormenting me.

"Every single time it was an amazing day, but in 2016 I lifted a (surprisingly heavy) cobble above my head.

"It was the single proudest moment in my sporting career, a culmination of all the trying, learning and never quitting. Always keep riding."

Hayman said family is the main reason he is retiring from competition.

He and wife Kym, also a former top-level cyclist, are the parents of Harper, Noah and Elodie.

Hayman singled out Mitchelton-Scott owner Gerry Ryan in the announcement, thanking him for his financial support.

"This man and his generosity have changed the sport of cycling in Australia," Hayman said.

MATHEW HAYMAN

* DOB: 20/4/78

* Professional teams: 2000-09 Rabobank, 2010-13 Team Sky, 2014-19 Mitchelton-Scott

* 2006 Commonwealth Games road race gold medal, 2016 Paris-Roubaix champion, 2016 Australian Cyclist Of The Year

* Rode for Australia at 15 world road championships.

Australian Associated Press