“The more the years go by, the harder it gets” - Romain Bardet reflects ruefully on inconsistent Giro d'Italia after 9th overall finish
Cycling
Having come into the 2024 Giro d'Italia high on confidence and buoyed by positive results at the Tour of the Alps and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, expectations were lofty for Romain Bardet. Although he secured another Grand Tour top-10, the Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL wasn't totally content with his performance.
“The more the years go by, the harder it gets,” the experienced, 33-year-old Frenchman admitted after the final stage in conversation with Eurosport. A two-time podium finisher at the Tour de France, Bardet was once viewed as the big hope of French Grand Tour cycling. As happens to all though, Bardet is beginning to feel the effects of father time. “I just don't have the consistency over three weeks anymore."
Pre-race, Bardet admitted he would have to attempt a different strategy at this Giro and announced plans to try and emulate his compatriot Thibaut Pinot's performances from the 2023 edition to launch himself into the top-5 via breakaway raids. Although Bardet was able to get in a couple of breaks during the three weeks, he was never able to fully make the most of them.
The general was not my primary objective, but for the team It was important, so I tried to hang on a little. There was still the satisfaction, on my good days, of seeing that I was with the best. But on 2 or 3 days I felt it," he assesses honestly. "Fatigue, that's what makes the difference with the top 5 in the general classification who were really solid."
"It's been a big block for me since the start of the season, I haven't had much breath. I attacked the Giro on the wrong foot, with my health failing me and I tried to get back on track, but it was one day with, one day without," Bardet concludes. "No regrets, I gave my best. On Saturday, I really was empty. The road put everyone in their place, so I can have no bitterness about that."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Our #GirodItalia🇮🇹 gladiators 👏🏻 We will leave Rome with a hard-fought top 🔟 place on GC, a well-deserved stage podium and a handful of top 10 results. We're proud of how the guys fought for each other every day, never giving up. 🧡 Read more as we reflect on the first GT 👇🏻
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