DSM-Firmenich PostNL have announced that Romain Bardet has extended his contract with the team through the end of 2025 with a view to retiring from road racing next summer and turning his focus to gravel racing.
Bardet has been with the German team since joining from AG2R La Mondiale in 2021 and he's set to take on one final Grand Tour at the 2025 Giro d'Italia before his final outing on the road on home ground at the Critérium du Dauphiné next June.
The news means that 2024 will be Bardet's last full season on the road, with the upcoming Tour de France set to be his final outing at his home Grand Tour.
"I have really enjoyed my time with the team so far so for me, it was a no-brainer to either continue with them or fully end my career," Bardet said. "I am very grateful for the relationship I have with all the team members and for the trust that the management is putting in me.
"I was not really sure if I wanted to continue cycling, but I still feel that I can bring value and keep chasing big results with the team, so I am happy that we are going into another year together to do something a bit special."
Bardet will continue to compete after leaving the road behind, opting to switch to gravel in a move that, his team says, 'enables him to still find that competitive edge while being able to spend more time with his young family'.
The 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships in Nice, set to be held in October next year, will be Bardet's big goal after making the transition, he said.
"For me, this is the way I dreamed of finishing my career," Bardet said. "I hope to still chase some big victories with the team in 2025, especially in the Giro, to try and get the missing stage win there. I also feel that I want to give the team something back in this race after doing it together three times.
"I will also keep working with the younger riders in the team and help them develop towards their GC goals. The Dauphiné will be my final road race, as it is my favourite race on the calendar. It is really mountainous and close to where I live. These are the roads I used to train on a lot, so there couldn't be a better place to finish my road career.
"After that, I am really excited to tackle a new challenge and do gravel racing with the support of the team. It will be a kind of transition for me, but I will do my best in some of the World Cups and hope to also do well in the World Championships in Nice in 2025."
Bardet is set to leave road racing behind having racked up 10 wins – and counting – during a career which started back in 2012. He has stage wins at both the Vuelta a España and Tour de France (three at the latter) to his name, as well as two podium spots at the Tour back in 2016 and 2017.
Highlights of his 2024 season to date have included fifth at the Tour of the Alps, second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and a top 10 at the Giro d'Italia.
DSM head coach Rudi Kemna called Bardet a "true professional" and said that he and the team are excited to work with him in 2025 as he moves from road to gravel racing.
"It has really been a pleasure to work with Romain over the past few seasons. He is a true professional who always gives his all for the sport and gives energy to those around him," said Kemna.
"We've seen Romain not only perform brilliantly on the bike with us, but he has a passion for helping those around him, and with a voice of wisdom and calmness, he helps to guide and mentor the young up-and-coming GC talents within the team.
"We're excited that we can continue working with him in his final year on the road and be there to support him as he takes on his new adventure in gravel racing."
