Emilien Jacquelin has confirmed what many had expected for weeks. The French biathlete will not race the 2026/2027 season and will instead keep chasing his dream on the bike.

The announcement came on Tuesday, September 22, in a video published by the French Ski Federation (FFS) on its social media channels.

“I set myself the goal of discovering the professional ranks in cycling. It’s something I have achieved thanks to Decathlon CMA CGM since the beginning of August now, and we’re now in mid-September. […] So I have made the decision to continue in cycling in the coming months, and so not to do next winter with the team in biathlon,” Jacquelin says in the video.

Also Read: Shock announcement: Biathlon star skips the World Cup

Confirmation after weeks of speculation

The decision puts an end to a summer of uncertainty. In mid-August, the French national team management gave Jacquelin a clear deadline: if he wanted to be part of the team this winter, he would have to begin the regular preparation for the season at the end of August.

At the time, Jacquelin refused to commit either way. A few days later, on August 27, L’Equipe reported that he would skip the entire World Cup season, that he had hired an agent, and that he was looking for a professional cycling contract. Tuesday’s video is the first time Jacquelin himself has confirmed the decision.

The story continues below.

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Impressive first months in the peloton

The 31-year-old has made the most of his first season on the road. He made his professional debut for Decathlon CMA CGM at La Polynormande in August, where he spent 120km in the breakaway working for his teammates and earned high praise from team captain Paul Lapeira.

In early September, he rode his first World Tour stage race at the Tour of Great Britain. Despite a crash on Stage 4, he stayed at the front of the peloton to support teammate Cees Bol, who won the stage, and finished the five-day race in 51st place overall.

Read More: Biathlon star continues to prove himself in cycling

“The story with biathlon is not over”

The decision comes just months after the best winter of Jacquelin’s biathlon career. At the Milano Cortina Olympics, he won gold in the men’s relay and bronze in the pursuit, his first individual Olympic medal. He is also a two-time world champion in the pursuit.

Despite stepping away from the rifle this winter, Jacquelin makes it clear that he has not closed the door on biathlon. His long-term target remains the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

“The story with biathlon is not over. The goal, as I have always said, remains the 2030 Olympic Games. Today, the path I’m taking is different, special, but I feel in any case that it is in line with what I want to do. I really want to push things as far as possible in cycling, to see how far and for how long I can continue in this world,” he says in the video.

Also Read: Olympic champion goes all in for cycling, future in biathlon unclear

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