Julien Simon stops after 17 years of career

Going back through Julien Simon's career is like going back to a part of the modern history of French Cycling. From his beginnings in 2008 at Crédit Agricole with Thor Hushovd and Simon Gerrans, to TotalEnergies in 2024 with the role of road captain, the Bretillian hangs up the bike after having worn the colors of Saur-Sojasun and Cofidis in the meantime.

Having come close to a memorable victory in the 2013 Tour de France in Lyon, the puncher with devastating speed can nevertheless boast of having raised his arms 13 times among professionals, including three times at the GP du Morbihan and on the Tour of Finistère. From his failed debut on the borders in Qatar to his last race in Japan, including his first stolen victory in Portugal, he looks back on the notable moments of his long career.

His first race

“It was in my first year. It was… complicated (laugh). There was hail. The start is given and I realize that I am not ready, not hardened. I was let go from the start. I do maybe two races behind, and I stop. My father (ex-amateur runner) said to me: “There’s no point in insisting!”

My brother played football, so I'm going to do some too. I did it for two years. What makes me come back to cycling is this failure of the first time. I was keen not to stay there. In my head, I probably wanted to be a professional runner one…