After six years at Vendée U, Lucas Grolier has decided to close the chapter on his career as a cyclist. “I always told myself that I wouldn’t ride Amateur bikes until I was 30. I said two years ago that 2023 would be my last year but I missed the deadline. It went so well in 2023 that I postponed a season to try to go higher.” indicates to DirectVelo the Vendéen, who had been an intern at TotalEnergies after winning two stages of the Flèche du Sud (see its DirectVelo file). But his 2024 season was not what he hoped for. “I was really tired after a great start to the season. It triggered a questioning earlier than expected, it allowed me to realize that I didn’t want to make it my job and that I wouldn’t be more fulfilled. “It’s not such a bad thing.”assures the 24-year-old boy.
In recent years, Lucas Grolier has completed several internships at CREF Pays de la Loire until having a fixed-term contract which will end at the end of October. “It was very advantageous. I rode with the young people and at the same time, I trained. At the same time, I was able to train in physical preparation. I was training the Cadets group, I was starting to take on more and more responsibilities. For five days, I’ve officially only been doing that.”.
ON PHILIPPE GILBERT
This weekend, he is on the Philippe Gilbert Juniors with the CREF. “I will be co-sports director with Corentin Thibaud. It still allows me to train on a great international event. I had already been DS twice during the last two editions of the Bernaudeau Junior because it fell at a low point in my season.”. He will find roads that he had covered in Aubel-Thimister-Stavelot when he was U19. “It’s going to be nice, we’ll be in the same accommodation where I was six-seven years ago.”
At the end of his contract, he plans to discover a new environment. “I’m going to spend a season in the mountains, in the Alps, because I love skiing. I also plan to travel with friends. For six months to a year, I plan to get out of the cycling world. It’s leaving to come back better. I need to see something else in order to feel more legitimate and competent to lead, for example, the Vendée U or the CREF.” Looking back, he takes a positive assessment of his career. “I’m quite proud of what I did. When I returned to Vendée U, I was not one of the best runners. Physically, I was very far from the level needed to perform in Elites. I took the time and showed a lot of resilience. Many didn’t see me at that level. I am very happy to have known the structure and the staff of Vendée U, I had a lot of fun and I experienced great things.”
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