September 29, 2015 – Dominique Rollin (Cofidis), one of Canada’s few WorldTour riders, could be forced into retirement in 2016. His name was absent from a recent Cofidis press release regarding the 2016 team and Pedal reached out to the Quebec rider for confirmation of his status.
“For now, the only thing I can confirm is of my contract not being extended with Cofidis,” Rollin confirmed. “It was a great challenge and opportunity to be given the chance to make it back to pro level by them.”
It is unclear if Rollin, 32, is negotiating with other teams or retiring from the sport. The talented rider previously announced his retirement from professional cycling in 2014 but returned to the WorldTour peloton in 2015 with Cofidis in light of his friendship with Cofidis team captain Nacer Bouhanni who we understand played a key role in his comeback.
Rollin began riding pro with Sympatico High Speed-Jet Fuel Coffee in 2001 and with Sympatico Edition Haute Vitese in 2002. He later rode with Kodakgallery.com-Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Toyota-United, Cervélo TestTeam, Française des Jeux (FDJ), no team in 2014, and then Cofidis in 2015.
He was the Canadian road champ in 2006, won bronze in the ITT at the 2007 PanAm Games and completed three Grand Tours (Giro 2013 and Vuelta 2012, 2015). He also scored stage wins at the Tour de Beauce (2005), Tour de Gironde (2006), including a notable victory at the Tour of California (2008).
After his initial retirement, Rollin said that he wanted to stay on in Gerona (Spain) where he envisioned getting involved with the restaurant business; his bike will not be too far away. Pedal wishes Rollin good luck with his future endeavours.
Check out our interview with Rollin at the 2015 Vuelta a España here.
September 29th, 2015 at 11:54 am
Good riders and good domestiques are not finding or are having a hard time finding teams that will renew their contracts of hire them to race. I propose and I’ve said this to many prominent racers including Brian Cookson the head of the UCI that we have UCI points for domestiques that assist in getting a win. It will create more fan interest, more drama, more excitement and a new and interesting dimension in the sport. This will absolutely make all domestiques more animated to help for the win. Domestiques will be more marketable and more apt to find a job in cycling and it will also give countries like Japan, Canada, Austria ( Beppu, Eisel, Renshaw, Hule etc.) who have amazing domestiques more points and therefore more riders for the World Championship. We Canadians do this in hockey and I think that this can be a new “DYNAMIC” in professional cycling. Let’s all spread this fair and timely idea to the cycling community.