EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Romain Bardet begins his final months in the peloton at the Figueira Champions Classic: "Hopefully I can be there at the end"
Cycling
Team Picnic PostNL rider Romain Bardet is entering the final months of his professional career. Lining up at today’s Figueira Champions Classic, the 34-year-old embraces his last opportunities in road racing before switching to gravel later this year.
When asked by CyclingUpToDate about his decision to start the season in Portugal, Bardet had a simple response. “Why not! It is my only chance left in my career, and I have always heard very good things about this race.” He will use Figueira and the Algarve as the first race days of a 2025 in which he will aim for a strong performance at the Giro d'Italia, and ultimately the Criterium du Dauphiné where he will hang up the wheels.
Bardet, who finally wore the yellow jersey during last year’s Tour de France, remains uncertain about his form but is eager to race aggressively. “It looks like a really nice race. I don't know how it will be and I don't really know where I stand, but yeah, for sure we'll be straight in. Hopefully I can be there at the end.”
Next week, he will take on an even greater challenge at the Volta ao Algarve, where he will race against top contenders like Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic, and another set of riders - who will make Bardet's GC aspirations hard in the final time-trial.
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“For me, it is more to get the long stage race in the legs at the start of the season, it is maybe what I missed in the last few years. It is a shame for me that we don’t have two mountain stages, but we have a good team.”
With his final Grand Tour appearance set for the Giro d’Italia, there had been speculation about whether Bardet might test himself on the cobbled classics before he retires. However, he shut down the idea without hesitation. “No, it’s not going to happen!” he said firmly.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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