"I really didn't see myself retiring" - French rider fears end of career despite major UCI points potential

In a time where UCI points matter more than ever before, many World Tour teams seem to be missing out on a rider who could potentially be very fruitful. Clément Venturini is currently still looking for a team into the 2026 season, despite the factor that make him more and more of a valuable rider.

"We're still in discussions; my agent is handling it. I'm afraid things aren't going as planned. There are still a few slim leads. I want to see this through so I have no regrets," Venturini said to L'Équipe.

Venturini is 32 years old and although he was recently linked to Unibet Rose Rockets, he has not found a contract for next year. In 2027 the points from cyclocross will be aiding in the tally for the road's UCI points, which make a big difference for the rider who has won the French national title on several occasions in the winter discipline and has also finished Top5 in one of the recent World Championships editions. But aside from that, on the road he is also a valuable asset, featuring close to the UCI's current Top100 - having been one of Arkéa - B&B Hotels' top scorers of the year.

The team's demise led to this situation, but Venturini not finding a contract does come as a surprise, specially as the team's end was known for many months already. "I really didn't see myself retiring in 2026, and I still don't. I still have energy, but I have to think about it... Given my physical condition and recent performances, most people around me don't understand how it could end. They tell me to keep believing until the very end, as long as the door isn't closed".

"It's not that I'm pessimistic, but I also want to be clear-sighted so I don't fall so hard. In my mind, I still have a glimmer of hope. Some people choose their own end; I wouldn't have that luxury if it were to end. It's hard to accept. If my last race was the Tour de Vendée, that's a shame... If it really has to stop, the digestion will be very hard."

Venturini has in his palmarès a GC win at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque and stage wins at the Tour of Austria and La Route d'Occitanie. Only four triumphs, but plenty top results, specially in the French cup events where his sprinter/classics specialist abilities turn him into a versatile rider capable of scoring big points.

But in the World Tour, it's unlikely for him to have a future as of now. "I've received rejections because some teams already have enough riders like me on their roster. Some want to rejuvenate their teams, and I'm 32, so I'm too old. Some riders don't guarantee as many points as me, but they're younger and bring a fresh perspective".

However he does not intend on taking a contract at continental level. Perhaps not ProTeam level either, judging by his words: "I really want to be a rider in 2026, but not under just any conditions. I've had 12 great years, on some great teams, but I don't want to keep going at any cost. Not that I've become complacent, but at my level of expectation, there has to be something to live up to. I can't take a step down. I've turned down teams at lower levels. I know I wouldn't have thrived at that level."

But the 32-year old believes that he is in the mix with the best and is worthy of finding himself a new contract at the top level, as he's had with Arkéa, AG2R and Cofidis over his carerr. "The financial aspect, for smaller teams, could also be a factor. However, I'm not asking for a contract commensurate with my UCI points, just a decent contract for my commitment and my level. I certainly have my flaws, and they catch up with me sometimes – my personality, my high standards for myself and others, which can be a bit harsh."