Professional for ten years, Romain Combaud always has a big smile from the races. This was still the case last week on the Tour de Romandie, which marked the end of a big block started in Milan-San Remo. Faithful team member within the Picnic-Postnl team, where he arrived in 2021, the 34-year-old runner, who arrived at the end of the contract with the Dutch Worldteam, hopes to continue the adventure at least an additional season. On the occasion of the Romandie Tour, Directive took stock with Auvergne.
Directvelo: How do you judge your season for the moment?
Romain Combaud: It’s pretty good. I am quite happy with my role. The Tour of Romandie was an end of the block. From Milan-San Remo, I am very little at home. I went on with Catalonia, Indurain, the Basque Country, the three Ardennes and the Romandie. It was starting to do a lot. I will have a good break after the Romandie to start again on the second part of the season. I will resume on the Dauphiné, that’s for sure, and then I know that I will do the new race in Copenhagen, mid-June, then certainly the French championship, even if I have not yet made my decision. For the rest, I don’t know yet. I will have an interview with my sports director in early June.
“You might as well put yourself in a function where you can help and bring”
Could the Tour de France be on your program?
It’s not in the plans, but we know how it goes, there can always be injured. The team was running with very few runners in recent weeks, that’s why I have done a lot of shopping elsewhere. It is not planned that I am a turn but I must stay focused on this possibility. Even if there I think more of my current cut …
You were talking about your role. After five years in the team, what is it today?
young people arrive with more and more experience, with the earrings it is also much easier. I am here to coach during the race. On the first stage of the Tour de Romandie, I took responsibility to go and control the peloton as we had pavel (Bittner) in the team, it is something that I like to do. At one point, it had to be expected. I was there to coach the guys to go back without panic. At the Tour de Romandie, our leader was Oscar Onley. He is a runner that I appreciate, I give the best for him.
For a long time, it was felt that the French had trouble accepting to be team members, it was more anchored abroad …
I think the mentality is changing in the French teams. We cannot all be leaders, me the first I almost won races when I was in Marseille, now it rolls faster and faster, the races are pre-established, there are sprinters, there are pure climbers to win really hard steps. I am in a somewhat intermediate role, I want to say a little “bastard”, so you might as well put yourself in a function where you can help and bring to the team. This is what I like and what motivates me.
“Finish on a good note”
Do you sometimes have your card to go to a breakaway?
Yes, that was the case on the Amstel but unfortunately, I missed the blow. Let’s say that on 60-70 days of racing, I will have two or three opportunities. It remains very little if we compare when I was running in Marseille. But honestly, it is also increasingly difficult to hope for something by being in a breakaway. Now the big teams control, leaving little freedom. At the maximum, it’s four minutes ahead. So there is less and less lucky than an escape plays victory.
You still have so much fun over the years?
It depends on the races, but yes I still manage to find pleasure. This is also why I’m still here. At my age, if there was no more pleasure, even if there are days when it is harder than others on the bicycle … It’s always nice to train when I am at home and run. As long as the motivation is there, I want to continue. I have been a dad for five months, life changes a bit at home, so the keyword is motivation and I still have it, so it’s a good sign.
You are at the end of the contract precisely, how do you see your future?
Honestly, I hope to redo at least a year. As I said, I always have motivation. In 2026, it will be one of the last years. You should never say never, but I want to finish on a good note, keeping a good memory of my career. I want to continue to be in a role in which I invest myself until the end of my career.
“It doesn’t upset me”
Romain Bardet chose to stop next June. Did you imagine stopping the same season as him?
I am often asked the question, and that’s what motivates me even more. Many people associate me with him, but we really have two different roles. He arrived to be a leader, win races and be efficient. I arrived in this team to coach young people. Just for that, I want to continue a year. I want to show that I am not just associated with Romain. We are very friends in life, I am very happy to run with him, I will be on his last race, the Dauphiné, and it is an honor for me. But I still want to continue.
Does it annoy you to be often associated with Romain?
There are a little “raw” people, but that doesn’t upset me. I am not someone that we easily upset (smile). Certainly his presence helped that I arrive in the team, but from the first year they dissociated us from each other. It’s going super well with the team, otherwise they wouldn’t have kept me for all this time. I like my role in the team, I like the way the team is managed. This is what still gives me motivation.
Have you ever talked about your future with the team?
There has not yet been a discussion. I will have a somewhat off period these next few days. I will be able to take the opportunity to chat with my agent. In any case, I will finish in this team. At 34, in current cycling, to find another team, it would be very hard.
