"Crazy project": Biathlete Émilien Jacquelin joins the Decathlon CMA CGM team

The Decathlon CMA CGM team is bringing Émilien Jacquelin, one of the most successful French biathletes, onto its junior team NewGen. The 30-year-old will start his new career in road cycling from 1 May, temporarily leaving the biathlon circuit. The contract will initially only run for six months. The connection to the team has existed for some time. "My dream since childhood has been to become a professional cyclist. Thanks to the team, I have the opportunity to seize this chance. But I know that the path will be difficult. I'm starting from scratch. Cycling is very demanding - the whole field is already at an incredible level. But it's a challenge and I want to use all my strength and energy to try and overcome this challenge," he explained in the RMC podcast "Grand Plateau". He sees himself as a potential helper: "Fetching water bottles, riding for a team-mate who sprints better than me. I had no problem with that in my past as a young cyclist," he explains. A big motivation is also of a sporting nature: "I'm really curious to see what my body is capable of - how far I can go on the road to peak performance.

Jacquelin won his first Olympic gold medal with the French relay team at the Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. At the start, he was wearing the earrings of Marco Pantani, whom he admires. His record includes four Olympic medals, nine World Championship medals with five titles and a crystal globe in the pursuit. He has achieved a total of 55 podium places at the Olympic Games, World Championships and in the Biathlon World Cup.

Jacquelin has been cycling for years

The Frenchman has been training on his racing bike since childhood. Cycling is a central part of his biathlon preparation. However, he is not planning to switch to cycling forever - he sees it more as a personal challenge and the fulfilment of a dream. By his own admission, the 2030 Winter Games 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. But in any case, I really will give 100 per cent every day again," he explained at RMC. The team provides 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. He is already thinking about a lower body weight, which he can achieve by reducing his upper body muscles.

Jacquelin as puncheur

Jean-Baptiste Quiclet, Head of Performance at the Decathlon CMA CGM Team, refers to the long-standing relationship between Jacquelin and the team. The support will focus on training with coaching and nutritional support as well as access to professional equipment. An altitude training camp in Arc 1950 with the NewGen squad is next on the programme. The team is planning an evaluation phase in late summer. Quiclet sees the potential for a puncheur on the road in Jacquelin's explosiveness from the biathlon. The high VO2max value that Jacquelin demonstrated on skis should now be demonstrated on the bike.

Adaptation to long loads

Guillaume Bonnafond, Head of NewGen, explains the philosophy of the junior squad. Development takes time, especially for riders from other disciplines. Jacquelin should first recover from the winter season before starting a new block of aerobic training.

Although Jacquelin is used to high training loads, he has to adapt to the long periods of stress in cycling. Bonnafond sees his physical qualities and his mentality as a champion as an asset for all riders in the squad. The NewGen programme deliberately takes time to adapt to the specific demands of road cycling.

News on the topic: