The 18-year-old Issoirian Louis Chaleil will make his professional debut in 2025. The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale NewGen team made official on its social networks this Friday information that had leaked for several weeks.
The information had leaked a few weeks ago. Louis Chaleil will turn professional, starting January 1st. The young Issoirian cyclist, 18 years old, is part of the squad that the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale NewGen team has just made official, this Friday, on its social networks.
Along with three of his current teammates, members of Decathlon’s U19 team, the Puydômois rider, recently selected for the Junior World Time Trials, was promoted to the reserve of the heavily renewed World Tour team. for its second season.
A year after Rio’s Léo Bisiaux, it is the turn of the rider from Saint-Babel to discover the pro peloton within this continental formation, the anti-chamber of the World Tour team.
From junior to pro… like Bisiaux!
Like Bisiaux, Chaleil will thus go directly from the junior ranks (U19) to the status of pro rider, without going through the intermediate level of high-level amateur Cycling.
Cyclo-cross: Auvergne Léo Bisiaux reduces his calendar and focuses his winter on the Worlds in Liévin
This is an increasingly strong trend in recent years for young people already taken care of from juniors, from 16 years old, by professional structures, such as that of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale U19, through which they have gone the Auvergnats Bisiaux (2022, 2023) and Chaleil (2023, 2024).
The two riders could compete next year together in certain races, particularly junior races, even if they do not belong to the same teams, Bisiaux having recently signed in the World Tour, where his contract was extended until 2028.
Chaleil (1.80 m, 64 kg) was one of the revelations of the season among juniors, establishing himself as one of the very best in the world in time trials, his specialty.
After his 11th place at the Worlds, in Zurich, for his first selection for an international championship, the Puydômois finished his season at the foot of the podium (4th), the weekend spent at the Chrono des Nations, in Vendée.
The Issoirien’s track record also includes two international class stage victories this year, both obtained in Belgium: the Guido Reybrouk Classic in March and the Keizer der juniores in September.
Despite a broken collarbone at the end of March, which occurred during a fall during a race, which kept him away from competitions for two months, Louis Chaleil finished the year in 5th place in the established French junior rankings. by the specialized site DirectVélo.
He is also listed among the 50 best juniors in the world (46th) by CyclingStats, the English-speaking reference site for statistics.
The 2025 workforce of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Developpement Team
Three riders from DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE Development Team who are continuing:
– Arthur Blaise (France / 19 years old)
– Antoine L’Hote (France / 19 years old)
– Daniel Weis Nielsen (Denmark / 19 years)
Four riders from the junior team who are promoted to the Development Team:
– Louic Boussemaere (Belgium / 18 years old)
– Louis Chaleil (France / 18 years old)
– Marius Innhaug Dahl (Norway / 18 years old)
– Aubin Sparfel (France / 18 years old)
Five new recruits to the DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE Development Team:
– Ilian Alexandre Barhoumi (Switzerland / 19 years old)
– Matthew Greenwood (Australie / 21 ans)
– Luis-Joe Lürhs (Germany / 21 years old)
– Kasper Haugland (Norway / 19 ans)
– Pelle Køster Mikkelsen (Denmark / 21 ans)
Raphaël Rochette
