It’s all change at the top of TotalEnergies for 2026 as team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau is set to step down from his position and retire after 26 seasons at the helm of the ProTeam.
Bernaudeau’s role will likely be taken over by Stéphane Heulot, until recently the manager at Lotto.
Bernaudeau, a former professional racer from 1978 to 1988, has been in charge of the French squad since founding the team in 2000. Nine years previously, he founded the Vendée U development squad, which remains a feeder team for TotalEnergies to this day.
Instead, 54-year-old Breton Stéphane Heulot will take over the job, having recently departed Belgian squad Lotto ahead of the team’s merger with Intermarché-Wanty.
“I’m the happiest man, but unhappy for my staff and riders because I loved this team and that’s still the case,” Heulot said upon departing Lotto last month. “I’m happy with what I’ve experienced because, in my opinion, I’ve succeeded in my mission – we’ve brought the team back to the WorldTour.”
Ouest-France reported that Bernaudeau and Heulot “quickly understood each other” regarding the team’s philosophy and values, noting that upholding the team’s model – that of developing and promoting riders in-house without a budget to match the biggest squads – is of paramount importance as management changes hands.
During his time as team manager, Bernaudeau has led the team through several iterations and title sponsorships, with the team starting life as…
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