After winning gold and bronze at the Olympics and delivering his best season yet, the shocking news arrives: he will not compete in the biathlon World Cup this winter.

Just a few months ago, he secured Olympic gold and bronze. Now, his biathlon career is on indefinite hold.

This was reported by L’Equipe on Thursday morning. According to the French newspaper, Emilien Jacquelin will skip the entire 2026/2027 Biathlon World Cup season. Instead, he plans to fully commit to his cycling career.

Exciting cycling debut

In March, Emilien Jacquelin signed with the French team Decathlon CMA-CGM, where he was initially set to train with the development team NewGen. 

Despite a slow start due to a collarbone fracture in May, Jacquelin quickly got a taste of the top level. This has fueled his enthusiasm for the sport. 

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

Has hired an agent

Now, after two races at the professional level and one race in the French national team kit, Jacquelin has made his decision. He will skip the entire World Cup season in biathlon next year. 

The 31-year-old has secured an agent and is actively seeking a new professional contract. According to L’Equipe, several teams have already expressed interest in the biathlete. 

A direct promotion to a permanent spot at the top level may be ambitious, but one possibility is that his current team, Decathlon CMA-CGM, will extend and expand their contract. Emilien Jacquelin could also be a candidate for professional teams at the continental level. 

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