Romain Combaud and Niklas Märkl continue their journey with Team DSM

Team DSM are happy to reveal the contract extensions of Romain Combaud and Niklas Märkl, with both riders set to wear the team’s colours until the end of the 2024 season.

Romain Combaud (FRA)

After spending all his career riding for French teams, Combaud made the jump and joined Team DSM ahead of the 2021 season. Settling in well and gelling with both riders and staff, his personable character has shone through. In the two years with the team so far Combaud has continued to progress as a rider; picking up some solid results at the start of the year. A true team player, Combaud is always more than willing to give his all for his teammates, working tirelessly in support of the team’s finisher with some strong riding. The 2022 season also marked his debut in a Grand Tour, with Combaud lining up in Budapest for the start of the Giro d’Italia.

Combaud said: “I am so happy and I feel lucky to stay in a team in which I can grow and learn every day. I’m someone who likes when things are well organised, and I really enjoy the structure of the team. I have had beautiful moments with the guys so far such as my first Grand Tour and I am very glad to carry on with Team DSM for two more years. I will continue to do my best as a teammate, working for the team’s finishers and also share my experience with the younger guys on the team. I want to continue experiencing new races, enjoy training and team camps with the guys and the team.”

Team DSM head coach Rudi Kemna continued: “Romain is really a team player, and he has impressed us both on and off the bike since joining us last year. We think that his overall level has improved with the team and he’s someone that is capable of riding on all terrains, which we’ve seen with his strong support role at various races throughout the season. As he settles more and more into the team, he’s coming out of his shell and enjoys sharing his experience with the rest of the guys on the squad; developing into a road captainship role.”

Niklas Märkl (GER)

A fine product of the Team DSM’s talent days before joining the Development program, Märkl has been in the team’s structure since 2018 and turned professional with the Men’s program in 2021. Last season saw him make a smooth transition to the pro ranks, proving to be a valuable teammate in the early season classics and one day stage races. Towards the end of 2021 Märkl’s continued development shone through with a good tenth on GC at Tour de Slovaquie while also helping the team to a GC podium too, before a very impressive and attacking fifth place at Münsterland Giro. This year again has seen Märkl ride well to support the team in the one-day classics and helping the team’s sprint group to a win at the Tour of Türkiye and second overall at the recent Tour de Pologne.

Märkl expressed: “At Team DSM we get all of the help we need and it’s a really professional environment. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the team and the rest of the guys in the sprint group. There are some great guys coming through and in the team already, who are really motivated to bring it to another level, so I think it will be an exciting few years. I feel at home at Team DSM. Since I have been a part of the team in 2018 everything has gone smoothly, so I want to continue with that. Looking at myself, I want to grow as a rider even more and reach another level where I can help the team and be competitive in the finales of some of the biggest races on the calendar.”

Team DSM head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Niklas has been with the team since 2018 and we’ve known him for even longer than that with our talent days. He’s taken steps each season with us and has grown as a rider and a person. In the coming years we see him as a part of our sprint group, like he is now, where he can use his power and ability well. In his first two years with our Men’s program he’s rode strongly in a support role in the classics as well and this is an area of racing we also want to continue with. With our coaching team and specialists within the team, we think we can help him reach the next level.”