Olympic Champion Emilien Jacquelin Confirms Biathlon Hiatus with ProSeries Cycling Debut at Tour of Britain

When Emilien Jacquelin signed a six-month trainee contract with the Decathlon CMA CGM cycling team in March 2026, critics dismissed the move as a high-profile off-season stunt designed to build endurance before the winter. The evidence on the roads of the Tour of Britain this week contradicts that assumption entirely. The 31-year-old French biathlete, fresh off a gold and bronze medal campaign at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, has officially shelved his rifle for the 2026/2027 season to pursue a full-time professional cycling contract.[4][5][6]

Jacquelin is currently competing in the five-stage Tour of Britain, a UCI ProSeries 2.Pro event that marks his highest-profile cycling start to date. Riding in support of Decathlon CMA CGM team leader Olav Kooij, Jacquelin has proven his worth in the crosswinds of the professional peloton. During the 181.1-kilometer third stage from Sheffield to Beverley, the biathlete put in a massive effort at the front of the pack to help reel in a breakaway, setting up a sprint finish that Kooij ultimately won.[1][3][5]

The grueling British route has tested Jacquelin's racecraft in ways the biathlon track cannot. During the opening stage, the Frenchman worked heavily for his team leaders before dropping back to finish 93rd, crossing the line 8 minutes and 54 seconds behind the stage winner. On the 181.1-kilometer second stage between Boston and Skegness, severe crosswinds fractured the peloton. Jacquelin was caught in the second group alongside Italian time-trial specialist Filippo Ganna, ultimately finishing 60th, 1 minute and 43 seconds off the pace.[1][5]

The physical transition from the shooting range to the World Tour has required a steep learning curve. A training crash on a wet roundabout in mid-May left Jacquelin with a fractured collarbone, requiring surgery and delaying his debut with the Decathlon development squad. However, his rapid recovery and subsequent performances proved his physiological engine—honed over a decade of elite cross-country skiing—translates seamlessly to the tarmac.[4][6]

Jacquelin's formal introduction to the professional peloton arrived in August at the 168-kilometer La Polynormande. Rather than hiding in the pack, the Olympic champion spent 120 kilometers driving the day's primary breakaway before eventually fading to finish 88th. Days later, at the four-stage Tour du Limousin, he operated as a dedicated domestique, playing a crucial role in setting up his Decathlon teammate Noa Isidore for two separate stage victories.[4][6]

His momentum continued at the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, where he raced as the sole representative for the French national team. Despite suffering a mechanical issue late in the race while fighting for a top-five position, Jacquelin salvaged a 14th-place finish in the road race. Those cumulative August results convinced both the rider and his directors that he possessed the raw power and tactical awareness required to survive at the sport's highest level.[6]

To cement his commitment to the road, Jacquelin has formally engaged the services of Finnish cycling agent Joona Laukka. Laukka, who also represents rising 19-year-old French talent Paul Seixas, has been tasked with a clear mandate: secure a professional road contract for the 2027 season. While Decathlon CMA CGM currently holds his trainee rights through the autumn, Laukka is reportedly fielding interest from multiple teams across the ProTeam and World Tour levels.[2][5]

The decision leaves a massive void in the French biathlon lineup ahead of the upcoming World Cup season, which kicks off in Kontiolahti, Finland, on November 24. Jacquelin, who boasts two individual pursuit world titles and four Olympic medals, will not be on the start line. He will also miss the highly anticipated Biathlon World Championships scheduled for February in Otepää, Estonia.[4][6]

The French biathlon federation has accepted the departure of one of its biggest stars. Speaking from a national team training camp in Bessans last week, French men's coach Simon Fourcade acknowledged the reality of the situation. "By now, I really don't think he will be with us next winter," Fourcade confirmed, noting that the coaching staff no longer expects the 31-year-old to rejoin the winter circuit this year.[6]

Jacquelin himself has embraced the transition, stating, "I simply want to keep taking on this challenge." Yet, the door to biathlon remains slightly ajar. He has indicated that the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps remain a long-term objective, framing his cycling venture as a necessary mental reset after years of grueling winter campaigns. For now, however, the biathlete is focused entirely on the bike, trading the solitary pressure of the shooting mat for the chaotic, high-speed chess match of the professional peloton.[5][6]