Axel Laurance

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Axel Laurance

| image = Axel_Laurance_Etoile_de_Bessèges_2024_stage_3_podium.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Laurance in 2024

| fullname =

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|4|13|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| height = 1.79 m

| weight = 66 kg

| currentteam = {{UCI team code|IGD}}

| discipline = {{ubl|Road|Cyclo-cross}}

| role = Rider

| ridertype =

| amateuryears1 = 2017

| amateurteam1 = EC Quéven

| amateuryears2 = 2018

| amateurteam2 = Véloce Vannetais

| amateuryears3 = 2019

| amateurteam3 = AC Lanester 56

| amateuryears4 = 2020–2021

| amateurteam4 = VC Pays de Loudéac

| amateuryears5 = 2021

| amateurteam5 = {{UCI team code|BVC|2021}} (stagiaire){{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15249/1003097/280|title=B&B Hotels p/b KTM|work=UCI.org|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|accessdate=4 January 2021|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20210104024828/https://www.uci.org/road/teams/TeamDetail/15249/1003097/280|archivedate=4 January 2021}}

| proyears1 = 2022

| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|BVC|2022}}

| proyears2 = 2023

| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|AFD|2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/team-details/18381|title=Alpecin–Deceuninck Development Team|work=UCI.org|publisher=Union Cycliste Internationale|accessdate=7 February 2022}}

| proyears3 = 2024

| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|ADC|2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/team-details/19533|title=Alpecin–Deceuninck|publisher=UCI|access-date=5 January 2024}}

| proyears4 = 2025–

| proteam4 = {{UCI team code|IGD|2025}}

| majorwins = Stage races

:Tour of Norway (2024)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{FRA}}}}

| show-medals =

}}

Axel Laurance (born 13 April 2001) is a French cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam {{UCI team code|IGD}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.uci.org/team-details/20242|title=INEOS GRENADIERS|publisher=UCI|access-date=4 January 2025}}

Career

=Early career=

Laurance started cycling at an early age, initially partaking in BMX, before moving to other disciplines including road, track and cyclo-cross.{{cite web|url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/cyclisme/axel-laurance-acquerir-de-l-experience-25-10-2017-11716033.php|title=Cyclisme. Véloce Vannetais. Axel Laurance : " Acquérir de l'expérience "|work=letelegramme.fr|date=25 October 2017|author=S. R.}} As a junior rider in 2019, he won stages of the {{ill|Ronde des Vallées|fr}} and the Grand Prix Rüebliland.

In 2020, he joined the Vélo Club Pays de Loudéac, the development squad for {{UCI team code|BVC|2021}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.directvelo.com/actualite/77153/une-dn1-pour-axel-laurance|title=Une DN1 pour Axel Laurance|work=directvelo.com|date=2 September 2019|author=Nicolas Gachet}} In June 2021, he finished third overall in the Under-23 Peace Race with the French national team, having won the last stage in a small group sprint.

=B&B Hotels–KTM (2022)=

In August 2021, he joined UCI ProTeam {{UCI team code|BVC|2022|nolink=yes}} as a stagiaire, and signed to ride with the team full time in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.letelegramme.fr/cyclisme/le-morbihannais-axel-laurance-passe-pro-chez-b-b-hotels-20-08-2021-12810418.php|title=Cyclisme. Le Morbihannais Axel Laurance passe pro chez B & B Hôtels|date=20 August 2021|work=Le Télégramme}}

In August 2022, he finished second at the 2022 Bretagne Classic Ouest–France in his first year as a professional.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/axel-laurance | title=Axel Laurance | work=ProCyclingStats | accessdate=28 August 2022}} A month later, he took his first pro win, outsprinting Jonathan Milan and Matej Mohorič on stage four of the CRO Race.{{cite web |language=fr |title=Première victoire chez les pros pour le Morbihannais Axel Laurence |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/cyclisme/cyclisme-premiere-victoire-chez-les-pros-pour-le-morbihannais-axel-laurance-18659da0-40d3-11ed-a769-ebc8e84c83b8 |date=30 September 2022 |work=ouest-france.fr }}

=Alpecin–Deceuninck Development Team (2023)=

At the end of 2022, {{UCI team code|BVC|2022}} folded, forcing Laurance to find a new team. He was forced to step down to the UCI Continental level with {{UCI team code|AFD|2023}}, as their World Tour squad had already reached the maximum 30 riders. Laurance took several wins in 2023, most notably culminating with the World Under-23 Road Race Championships, winning after a 26 kilometer solo effort.{{cite web | url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-road-world-championships-2023/under-23-men-road-race/results/ | title=World Championships: Axel Laurance wins U23 road race from early break | work=Cycling News | date=12 August 2023 | accessdate=30 April 2024 | author=Ryan, Barry}}

=Alpecin–Deceuninck (2024)=

In 2024, he officially joined UCI WorldTeam {{UCI team code|ADC|2024}}, taking an early season victory on stage two of the Étoile de Bessèges in February.{{cite web|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/etoile-de-besseges-tour-du-gard-2024/stage-2/results/|title=Etoile de Bessèges: Axel Laurance outlasts Mads Pedersen as race restarts for stage 2|first=Daniel|last=Ostanek|website=CyclingNews|publisher=Future plc|date=1 February 2024|access-date=1 February 2024}} In late March, he won his first UCI WorldTour level race on stage five of the Volta a Catalunya.{{cite web|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/volta-ciclista-a-catalunya-2024/stage-5/results/|title=Volta a Catalunya: Axel Laurance wins stage 5 sprint with bike throw|first=Laura|last=Weislo|website=CyclingNews|publisher=Future plc|date=22 March 2024|access-date=22 March 2024}}

Personal life

Laurance comes from a family of cyclists: he is the son of {{ill|Franck Laurance|fr}}, who was a professional cyclist in 1995 and 1996, and Manuella Le Cavil, a three-time Brittany regional champion. His sister {{ill|Typhaine Laurance|fr}} is also a cyclist.{{cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/la-famille-laurance-la-passion-du-velo-1764828|title=La famille Laurance, la passion du vélo|work=ouest-france.fr|date=2 December 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/cyclisme/cyclisme-le-velo-une-histoire-de-famille-chez-les-laurance-6829002|title=Cyclisme. Le vélo, une histoire de famille chez les Laurance|work=ouest-france.fr|date=8 May 2020}}