"I want to see what I can do on a GC": French talent targets Vuelta a España leadership after cyclo-cross winter

Léo Bisiaux has just three weekends of cyclo-cross remaining before shifting his focus entirely to the road. Following the U23 World Championships in Hulst (the Netherlands) on January 31, the Decathlon CMA CGM Team rider plans to take a break of only "four or five days" before getting back to the grind.

"I would like not to cut for too long and then get back on track to do some good training weeks," Bisiaux told DirectVelo. While the mud is still fresh on his tires, his eyes are already locked on a return to the Grand Tours later this year.

Bisiaux's road season will begin in Spain. He hopes to be ready for the Volta a Catalunya (March 23), though there is no pressure to start there. His definite return point is the Itzulia Basque Country, where he finished 25th overall last year.

From there, he will target races that suit his punchy climbing style, such as The Classic Grand Besançon Doubs and the Tour du Jura. "These are races that suit me well," he noted. He will then ride the Eschborn-Frankfurt before going to a training camp at altitude.

He will return to competition one month later at the Mercan’Tour Classic and the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (formerly the Critérium du Dauphiné). This will be his debut at the Dauphiné, a year after racing the Tour de Suisse. He will wrap up this block with the French National Championships.

The second half of his season mirrors 2025: an altitude camp, the Clasica San Sebastian, the Vuelta a Burgos (where he won a stage and finished 3rd overall last year), and finally, the Vuelta a España.

According to Bisiaux, the Spanish Grand Tour is the only logical choice for a cyclo-cross rider. "Since I do cyclo-cross, it was complicated to go to the Giro. I think for the Tour de France, it is not possible to really have optimal preparation while doing cyclo-cross. It was logical to return to the Vuelta," he explained.

Last year, illness disrupted his maiden Grand Tour, though he finished strong. For 2026, he is excited by the brutal course. "There are quite a few hard stages, including three with more than 5,000 meters of elevation gain. So I think there will be plenty to do."

Most importantly, he wants to test himself as a leader, as he plans to target the GC. "I would like to see what I can do on a general classification, even if other riders will also be protected," Bisiaux said. "We will have to see where I am after the first races. I will make a point after the Dauphiné to see what it will be possible to hope for on the Vuelta."

Looking at the very end of the year, Bisiaux is considering a trip to the Tour of Guangxi, with his sight on the GC as well. "The general classification is done on a ten-minute climb. It would be a nice experience to race in another country," he concluded.