A former great hope in French cycling will return to the professional world in 2025. Indeed, Alexys Brunel will evolve within the team TotalEnergies in 2025! No longer appearing in the peloton of a pro race since May 14, 2022, the Northerner had decided to terminate his contract with UAE Team Emiratesa team he had been a part of for only a few months after spending the first two years of his career with Groupama-FDJ. Winner among professionals on his second day of racing, Alexys Brunel had launched in the most beautiful way a career which already looked extremely promising as the native of Boulogne-sur-Mer had shone in the youth categories.
Video – Alexys Brunel at the microphone of Cyclism’Actu… in 2020
A unique story
Not preserved by Marc Madiot at the end of the 2021 season, the general manager of the Groupama-FDJ accusing him of a lack of investment, Alexys Brunel had, to everyone’s surprise, joined Tadej Pogacar chez UAE Team Emirates the following year, but the adventure was short-lived. “It has been a pleasure to be part of this great team, but now it is time for me to turn over a new leaf and focus on new challenges and experiences in my life”he explained on his networks when announcing that he was taking a step back from professional cycling. After that, the bronze medalist in the Elite time trial of 2021 French Championships had distinguished himself in Ironman and gravel, while still doing a bit of road work since he had joined the squad of the amateur club of Dunkirk Grand Littoral for the 2023 season.
The reactions of Alexys Brunel and Benoit Genauzeau
“I am very happy to return to the professional peloton, especially in a major French team like Team TotalEnergies”said Alexys Brunel. “Following my experience in gravel, I rediscovered the desire to return to road competition. I am aware of the opportunity and this “second chance” offered to me. Becoming a professional means hard, staying it is another story I am very grateful to the whole team and particularly the sports management. It is a team which embodies offensiveness and collectiveness, two values which motivate me. , after moving away from the professional world for a while, without ever staying away from cycling, I have rediscovered the passion and pleasure of high level in recent years. I am impatient to return to the big races and to give the best of me. -even for this season, for the leaders too. A big thank you to Jean-René Bernaudeau, Benoît Genauzeau and the team for their trust. I can’t wait to take on this new challenge!”
“Alexys has a special history with the high level”, continues Benoit Genauzeausports director at TotalEnergies. “Having started discussions with him this summer, we immediately got along very well on the team’s project and its project, with the same desires, the same values. Alexys is someone thoughtful and full of self-sacrifice, he is not finished with professional cycling and we believe in his potential. We are convinced that his determination and his experience will be valuable assets to integrate perfectly into the group. which reinforces a recruitment full of promise and which resembles us.”
