Alexys Brunel has delivered an impressive performance away from the professional peloton, completing the Lille Marathon in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 50 seconds. The 28-year-old Frenchman, who remains under contract with TotalEnergies, finished 20th overall and was the fourth-fastest French runner in the race.
Brunel’s time was particularly striking given his limited preparation. It also put him ahead of several former professional cyclists who have taken up distance running, including Tom Dumoulin, whose marathon debut in Amsterdam last year resulted in a time of 2:29:21.
The Frenchman appeared surprised by his own performance. “JUST WTF,” he wrote on Instagram, where he also thanked the spectators who supported him and his coach, Luca Filipas, for helping him prepare in a short period.
Brunel completed the first half in 1:14:10 before picking up the pace, running the second half in 1:12:40. That negative split allowed him to finish comfortably under the two-and-a-half-hour mark.
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An impressive time amid criticism over his cycling commitments
Brunel’s marathon performance comes against a complicated backdrop in his cycling career. In recent weeks, he has faced criticism on social media, particularly on X, over the apparent contrast between his running activities and his results on the bike.
The Frenchman failed to finish any of his last six races, while his social media accounts increasingly featured running sessions and marathon preparation. That attracted attention at a time when his team, TotalEnergies, was involved in a close contest with Unibet Rose Rockets in the UCI rankings.
The battle for ranking points carried significant implications for both teams, with the prospect of securing a coveted wildcard invitation to the 2027 Tour de France adding to the stakes. TotalEnergies ultimately finished ahead of its rival, but Brunel’s recent focus on running has prompted questions about his priorities as a professional cyclist.
His marathon result is nevertheless a notable athletic achievement, even if it does not establish a record among former and current professional riders.
French former professional Stéphan Ravaleu ran the Rennes Marathon in 2:24:35 in 2021, while Italy’s Leonardo Calzavara recorded 2:26:23 at the Venice Marathon in 2007. Both times were faster than Brunel’s Lille performance.
Brunel did, however, beat the time recorded by former French sprinter Nacer Bouhanni, who completed the Valencia Marathon last year in 2:31:33.
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A growing list of cyclists turning to distance running
Marathon running has become an attractive challenge for several riders after, or alongside, their professional cycling careers. The demands of the discipline differ substantially from those of road racing, but the endurance base developed through cycling can provide a useful starting point.
Brunel’s performance also compares favorably with Dumoulin’s marathon debut, although the two athletes’ preparation and circumstances were different. On the half-marathon distance, former Australian professional James Whelan produced a particularly remarkable time of 1:01:27 in Valencia in 2025. Dumoulin’s personal best over the same distance stands at 1:08:45.
From French cycling prospect to an uncertain future
Brunel’s long-term plans remain unclear. Once regarded as one of France’s most promising young riders, he won the junior European time trial title and Paris-Tours Espoirs before progressing toward the highest level of the sport.
His career took a difficult turn in 2022, when he terminated his contract with UAE Team Emirates following a severe period of depression. He subsequently explored other sporting pursuits, including triathlon and gravel racing, before returning to the professional road peloton with TotalEnergies in 2025.
That comeback produced a victory at the GP Jean-Pierre Monseré, offering a reminder of the talent that had made him such a highly regarded prospect earlier in his career.
TotalEnergies’ own future has also been uncertain in recent months, although a continuation into 2027 now appears increasingly feasible. Whether Brunel will remain part of the team is another matter.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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- It will absolutely change his tt position. Call me out if I'm wrong, when we start seeing him training on the tt bike, you will see.awp27-10-2026
- please , come on now! The Tour begins July 2, 2027!!! It is still 2026 !!!! Get a hobby or something.dave26-10-2026
- How is this relevant? Perhaps you are doing a Coleridge but not poetic
Rafionain-Glas26-10-2026 - Brilliantly putRafionain-Glas26-10-2026
- vingegaard will get humiliated. he might not even make the podium. he should retire, or accept being handed down the ranks.Ketterechts26-10-2026
- Bull crap...his C7 injury won't affect his TT position!frieders326-10-2026
- blah blah blah is all I see in your comment!frieders326-10-2026
- i thought they were cycling journalists. either they don‘t know the basics or they don‘t write their reports. either way suboptimal … it is not an american team anymore!Ketterechts26-10-2026
- Quiz, who said "When I watched the Worlds and the Euros, it made me miss racing of course, but I’d say that the older I get, the easier it becomes to stay away from racing and find other things I enjoy." Clue, not Elie Isabit in the doghouse now for supposing he can second guess MVDP, who has the added complication of women having a say these days in his circumstances, something Fien might have explained to him if he’d bothered asking, hope he doesn’t get a talking to for that. And speaking of that, I noticed he celebrated 10 years together in 2023 and yet in 2017 he was definitely with someone else, could get messy tonight. Bye for nowJumpyjohn26-10-2026
- Wout has the lifetime contract. I think he gets first shot no matter what.mij26-10-2026
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