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Émilien Jacquelin's professional cycling debut

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2026-08-15 16:16 UTC → 2026-08-27 09:11 UTC · added ~~removed~~

French biathlon Olympic and World Champion Émilien Jacquelin is prepared to make his professional road cycling debut this Sunday, 16 August, at the UCI La Polynormande. The 31-year-old will compete in the 169 km race in Normandy as part of the Decathlon-CMA CGM team. Jacquelin’s transition to professional cycling began in earnest in March, involving significant training such as over 7,000 kilometers of cycling and intensive climbing. However, his preparation was interrupted by a training crash in May that resulted in a fractured collarbone requiring surgery. Despite this setback, he remains scheduled to compete in the Tour du Limousin from 18 to 21 August in his home region. Jacquelin, a multi-medalist in biathlon, expressed a mix of “excitement and nerves” regarding his entry into the professional peloton. He intends to use the team’s professional structure to explore new challenges while preparing for the 2030 Winter Olympics in France. National biathlon coach Simon Fourcade has previously noted that Jacquelin must return to the biathlon squad by late August or early September to ensure he does not miss the upcoming biathlon season. Following his initial racing schedule, Jacquelin has addressed the emotional weight of his career shift. He reflected on a moment during the 2025/2026 World Cup season in Oslo where he was seen in tears, noting he feared it might have been his final biathlon race. Now competing with the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, Jacquelin stated he will only return to biathlon if he can do so with “100% motivation and the drive to compete for titles,” rather than merely participating. His future in biathlon remains uncertain.

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