Born in Versegères in the canton of Valais, Collombin made his first World Cup top ten finish at age 20 in December 1971 with a seventh place in the downhill at Val-d'Isère, France. Two months later, he won the silver medal in the downhill at the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo, Japan, finishing behind countryman Bernhard Russi. Collombin dominated the event over the next two World Cup seasons, 1973 and 1974, and won the World Cup season titles in downhill. In January 1974, Collombin won the month's four downhills in consecutive weeks, which included the two classics: the Lauberhorn at Wengen, Switzerland, and the Hahnenkamm at Kitzbühel, Austria. Collombin had finished second in the previous two downhills in December 1973 for six consecutive downhill podiums. The repeat win at Kitzbühel was in record time, besting Jean-Claude Killy's mark of 1967, but was Collombin's last finish in international competition. The World Championships were held in Switzerland in February 1974 at St. Moritz. The Swiss team won seven medals at the Olympics two years earlier in Japan, but managed just one at home, a bronze in the women's slalom. Collombin could not continue his January success; he fell in the downhill and did not finish, but he was 0.45 seconds behind winner David Zwilling before he did fall, maybe a to big margin to take the win.
Injuries
On December 8, 1974, Collombin fell in the season's first downhill at Val-d'Isère and bruised his spine, ending his 1975 season. In his absence, Franz Klammer of Austria won the first of his four straight downhill season titles. Collombin attempted a comeback on December 7, 1975 at Val-d'Isère, but fell in the first training at the same jump as the year before and broke two vertebrae, being paralyzed for two days and ending his racing career. That jump is called »Bosse à Collombin« since that time. Nearly paralyzed, Collombin did not walk again until mid-February, after the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. He finished his World Cup career with eight victories and three runner-up finishes, all in downhill.
After racing
Collombin and his wife Sarah operate a guest house in Versegères, and Collombin also has a product line of wines. In late 2014 Roland and Sarah opened a raclette bar named "La Streif", in the Swiss town of Martigny.
