Cycling. The beautiful story of two thirty-somethings, two contrary destinies, the same dream of victory

The professional Cycling season starts in Spain on January 24, 2025 and in France the first weekend of February with the Marseillaise, first round of the Coupe de France. To prepare, the pros find refuge in the south of Europe, in Tenerife for 10% of them and for the others, on the Spanish coast, which offers ideal training conditions. Meeting with two northerners with crossed destinies.

A big blue sky and seagulls a little more southern than those of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calpe, in Spain, is a cyclist’s paradise in winter. Very far from the Côte d’Opale where they were both born, Alexys Brunel and Samuel Leroux take in the light of the Mediterranean and prepare for the new 2025 cycling season. Two Boulonnais in their thirties, two enthusiasts cycling, two crossed destinies. Two northerners in the same team, that of Total Energies.

Spain offers them ideal training conditions: better temperatures and a difference in altitude to work on climbing, between sea and mountains. Fifteen days of training with a detailed program: a 175 kilometer outing between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., often punctuated by intense exercises. On the way back, it’s the shower, the offbeat buffet meal, before massage, analysis of the day and briefing.

Two opposite destinies

Alexys and Samuel, these are two incredible stories that come together. Two opposite destinies. On one side, Samuel Leroux, 30 years old, has just moved up a level, he who until then was a resident of the third division of cycling, in the “continental pro” team of Van Rysel Roubaix (formerly Roubaix Lille Métropole). He was therefore poached to move to the second division with Total Energies.

Winner of the fourth stage of the Etoile de Bessèges 2024, he is delighted to discover another race and other working conditions. “I think it will help me progress further and I am very happy to be playing at this level now..”

As for Alexys Brunel, 26, he ended his professional career three years ago, while he was playing in the team of Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar. He put the peloton on hold to concentrate on triathlon and gravel cycling, for which he came second in the season. Total came looking for him, offering him a second chance.

“There was this break in my career, confirms Alexys Brunel, third in the 2021 French Time Trial championship. It was short but long at the same time, with the desire to come back very soon. It’s done. I know it’s a gamble, for the team as well as for me, but a gamble with your feet on the ground and very achievable.“

For one, it’s a late entry into the big leagues, for the other, a real rocket at 18, a new career opening up to him after two years of searching. Their common jersey is therefore that of Total Energies, the French pro UCI team, second division in world cycling. She took the gamble of recruiting them.

And to immediately get them ready at the start of the season, this two-week course, which combines endurance, stress tests and elevation, offers them ideal training conditions. Alexys and Samuel swallow the kilometers with appetite and do not shy away from their joy of riding together for the first time.

“For my return, it’s a pleasure to join Samuelsays Alexys while pedaling. Two northerners on the same team, I don’t even know if that’s been done before, so it’s really cool.” “Thanks for the complimentsSamuel replies. I am also happy for Alexis who is starting a new career and I think he will have the opportunity to show all his talent in the coming years.”

The two boys will not have the opportunity to participate in all the same races. Everyone has their own program and their role, between the ace of the clock and the will-o’-the-wisp of the breakaways. Assets that caught the eye of Team Total Energies sports director, Lylian Lebreton.

“Sam will also be very good in a teammate role, very valuable in flat races, to protect the leaders. As for Alexys, that we recover after two years, we have a lot of hope with him to revive the champion.”

Between Alexys and Samuel, who also shines in beach racing, one thing in common: enjoying the little pleasures of this second professional life that is available to them, with the month of July and the Tour de France in their sights. “To be at the start in Lille, at home, it would be a dream!“, they shout in unison. Bsoon they will separate : the Gard and the Etoile de Bessèges 2025 await Alexys Brunel, the roads of Saudi Arabia, Samuel Leroux. The start of a new adventure for everyone.