"If he doesn't respect this rule, he won't go": Total Energies boss sets strict loyalty ultimatum for Jordan Jegat ahead of the Tour de France

Following an exceptional breakthrough performance last year where he secured tenth place overall at the Tour de France, Jordan Jegat has found himself at the center of intense transfer market speculation. With his current team, TotalEnergies, still searching for a secure primary sponsor for the 2027 season, WorldTour squads like Decathlon CMA CGM and Lidl-Trek have actively targeted the talented French climber. This outside interest has prompted a severe response from TotalEnergies manager Jean-René Bernaudeau, who has instituted a strict internal policy threatening to exclude any rider from the upcoming Tour de France selection if they commit to a rival team before July.

The ongoing search for future funding has left the TotalEnergies roster exposed to top-tier teams, creating a complicated environment for riders. For Jegat, the external pressure began to accumulate well before he even had the opportunity to pin on a race number this season.

“It is quite heavy mentally,” Jegat told Ouest-France. “At the start of the year, I had not even raced yet when people were already telling me that Decathlon had made contact and that there was talk about me in other teams.”

Despite the attention from other teams, the climber expressed a strong desire to distance himself from the surrounding media noise, reaffirming his dedication to his current structure. “It is a shame there are rumours like that,” he added. “I just want to focus on the bike, hope the team continues and that there is a new sponsor.”

Meanwhile, Total Energies manager Jean-René Bernaudeau has made it clear that he will not allow the pressures of the mid-season transfer window to dictate his roster decisions. He issued a definitive warning directly to the rider and his representatives, making Tour de France selection entirely dependent on short-term commitment.

"If Jordan trusts us, Stéphane Heulot [team manager of Total Energies] and me, he'll be at the Tour de France; if he doesn't respect this rule, he won't go," Bernaudeau stated firmly. "Jordan won't be worth any less on August 1st than he is now. I don't care about the pressure from agents," the manager continued.

While maintaining this strict disciplinary boundary, Bernaudeau remains highly optimistic about the futureof the team, reassuring that negotiations with potential sponsors are moving forward. "I have some serious leads, and we're receiving a positive response from interested partners," he explained.

This managerial conflict arrives at a time when Jegat is successfully rebuilding his physical form after a highly complicated off-season. A persistent knee issue severely limited his training volume during the winter months, yet the forced period of rest unexpectedly provided a physical benefit when he finally resumed competitive racing.

“Winter was completely ruined,” Jegat revealed. “The inflammation in my knee stopped me from building a solid base. When I was able to resume training properly at the start of spring, I felt much fresher than in other years. I think that is what allowed me to win the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs and have a very good start to the season.”