A few months ago, the Decathlon CMA CGM Team announced that it was bringing in multiple Olympic biathlon champion Émilien Jacquelin to join the cycling team on a temporary basis as a trainee. The 31-year-old was offered a six-month contract. “It has been my dream since I was a child to become a professional cyclist. Thanks to the team, I have the opportunity to seize this chance. But I know the road ahead will be difficult. I’m starting from scratch. Cycling is very demanding – the whole peloton is already at an incredible level. But it’s a challenge, and I want to put all my strength and energy into trying to rise to it,” he explained a few months ago on the RMC podcast “Grand Plateau”. His start in May, however, was very unfortunate: a broken collarbone put a stop to his plans right at the outset. Now, after months of training with the team, his first race – the “Polynormande”, a one-day road race in Normandy – is just around the corner. It takes place on 16 August between Avranches and Saint-Martin-de-Landelles. The race forms part of the UCI Europe Tour (Category 1.1) and the Coupe de France series. According to his team, he has clocked up around 7,300 kilometres and 134,000 metres of elevation gain on his road bike during his preparations.
Émilien Jacquelin and David Gaudu
The start list suggests it will be a tough start. Among those announced are David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Guillaume Martin (Groupama-FDJ) and last year’s winner Paul Lapeira (Decathlon-CMA CGM). Organiser and spokesperson Daniel Mangeas revealed the news: “He told me he’s coming,” he explained to *La Presse de la Manche*. “Jacquelin is sure to pique the curiosity of cycling and sports enthusiasts. It’s a major coup for us to have a young rider like Émilien Jacquelin on the start line,” said Mangeas enthusiastically. A glance at the list of winners shows just what a rich cycling history the Polynormande race boasts: Bernard Hinault, Bernard Thévenet, Lucien Van Impe, Marc Madiot, Laurent Fignon and Richard Virenque have all won it in the past.
Battle for a place in the peloton
For Jaquelin, it’s probably just about ensuring the race runs smoothly. Ahead of the race, he had described his role in defensive terms and offered to act as a potential support rider: “Fetching water bottles, riding for a team-mate who’s a better sprinter than me. I had no problem with that in my past, as a young cyclist,” he explains. At the time, he also explained why he was making the switch from winter sports to cycling: “I’m really curious to see what my body is capable of – how far I can go on the path to peak performance.” This isn’t his first time competing in a cycle race – in 2025, he took part in the amateur race Grand Prix de Cours-la-Ville, amongst others. He has also already competed in an amateur race this year: at the Grand Prix de Longes, he finished 11th.
Jacquelin faces a tough week of racing
If he makes his professional road cycling debut at the Polynormande road race on 16 August, the next challenge will be waiting for him straight away. Two days later, Jacquelin is entered for the Tour du Limousin (18–21 August). This stage race is also part of the UCI Europe Tour and was first held in 1968. The list of winners includes Warren Barguil and Alexis Vuillermoz, amongst others.
Jacquelin has been riding a road bike for years
The Frenchman has been training on a road bike since childhood. Cycling forms a central part of his biathlon preparation. However, the move to cycling is not intended to be permanent – rather, he sees it as a personal challenge and the fulfilment of a dream. According to his own statements, the 2030 Winter Olympics in France remain a goal. Jacquelin wants to test his physical abilities in the professional peloton. “A challenge means that you don’t necessarily have the certainty of success – quite the opposite, in fact. But in any case, I’ll definitely be giving 100 per cent every day again,” he explained to RMC. The team is providing him with training methods and nutritional support. Jacquelin emphasises that he does not want to do things by halves and is aware of the demands involved. He is already thinking about reducing his body weight, which he can achieve by toning down his upper body muscles.
Opportunities as a puncheur
Jean-Baptiste Quiclet, Head of Performance at the Decathlon CMA CGM Team, highlighted the long-standing connection between Jacquelin and the team when the biathlete was signed. Although Jacquelin is used to high training loads, he will need to adapt to the prolonged exertion involved in cycling. Bonnafond sees his physical qualities and champion’s mentality as an asset for all the riders in the squad. The NewGen programme is deliberately taking time to help him adapt to the specific demands of road cycling.
Kristian Bauer
Editor