"Pidcock and probably Tim Wellens" - Romain Bardet excited ahead of Gravel World Championships but contains expectations against big favourites
Gravel
The 2025 Gravel World Championships are taking place in South Limburg, Netherlands, and Romain Bardet will be present after his retirement from pro road racing. The French rider is still having the colours of Team Picnic PostNL but is now in a different phase of his career, where he enjoys the freedom he has alongside turning towards different goals within pro cycling.
"It was a discipline that I have a lot of interest in, but I had to wait until I really stopped on the road to realize that. In the last few races that I did, even the guys from the WorldTour were up there in the top 10. But sometimes they were not the strongest of the field, you know. So it's quite still a bit different," Bardet explained in words to Cyclingnews ahead of this Sunday's race.
Bardet will be racing the 131-kilometer long event as an outsider for a result but always someone to take into consideration. The Worlds were planned to be honest in Nice, close to home for the veteran, but the plans changed in the spring and so did the course - substantially.
However since August, he has been racing in Gravel around Europe, including a few wins but also presences in Sweden, Finland, Italy and Spain. "I was also impressed by the efforts you have to put in to be in the front of the race. This is something that I like, because it is basically almost full gas straight from the gun." Whilst not a full time pro, Bardet's chances at a result can't be neglected, as he has clearly transitioned well from one discipline to another.
A big part of this is his relationship with the Dutch team, in which he raced the last years of his career and acomplished a few more of his life-long goals such as wearing the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. "I've been really lucky to be in such a good team that really understands my needs".
"For the last couple of years, I've been thinking about retirement. So when I called my team principal, Iwan Spekenbrink, about doing 2025, or not, they really made a super nice schedule for me to race an extra Giro and finish my career where I wanted at the Dauphine, and then a switch and ride for the team on gravel." That's what happened and Bardet is a happy man with his current setup in cycling.
"I think it's been really smooth, and that's why I am still a member of the team, but with also a bit more freedom in terms of my programme. I took my chance to line up to some events. Personally, you know, I stepped out of the road racing because I wanted to have more freedom. And I'm not racing global for championships. In the Netherlands this year, I'm happy to come. I'm here to enjoy riding my bike."
Bardet enjoyed a retirement in style at the Criterium du Dauphiné. @Imago
The main favourites for Bardet?
With the course being mostly flat, with a few hills, it certainly won't make for a perfectly suiting course for the Frenchman. The race can count on many experienced road, cyclocross and gravel pros - amongst others - with the likes of Tom Pidcock, Tim Wellens, Tim Merlier, Tibor del Grosso, Matej Mohoric and even classics legend Johan Museeuw at the start.
"I know I'm not gonna be as sharp and as good as some guys like Pidcock and probably Tim Wellens, because they are super good riders, among the best in the world. So I think physically, it can be hard to really match them. But I hope to be on the front, because there will be a full contingent of Belgium and Dutch riders," he says.
"I don't have super high expectations, because for me, it's more likely gonna look like a road race with a lot of fighting for position and stuff. But I'm up for the fight. You only enjoy the day if you're in front".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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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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