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There are names that resonate as an obvious choice in the world of cycling. Magnien is one of them. Emmanuel, the father, was one of the best French cyclists of the 90s and 2000s, a daring puncher, a combative sprinter. Lorenzo, the son, could have fled this imposing shadow, turned away from cycling to forge his own path. But no. From a young age, discovering his father’s jerseys and trophies in the family attic, he understood that his story, too, would involve cycling.
By Jeff Tatard – Photos: ©Gérard Briand / DR
“It was by seeing the suitcases full of my father’s old jerseys and all the trophies that I wanted to enter this world.” Yet, this destiny was not preordained. For the Magniens, cycling was not an obvious legacy to pass on. Emmanuel Magnien knew too well what this sport demanded. The suffering, the sacrifices, the harshness of the path for those who dare to dream of a future between breakaways and sprints to glory. His mother, on the other hand, mainly saw the danger, the unforgiving road, the crashes that mark bodies and minds.
Lorenzo had to fight for five long years for his parents to accept. And he did it his way: by taking matters into his own hands, alone. “I brought back a registration form from the associations forum and told them I wanted to be licensed. They finally gave in, on one condition: that I find my first bike myself and manage to get to the races.”
Independence as a Driving Force
Lorenzo cultivated this autonomy, this desire to owe nothing to anyone, from his very first pedal strokes. It was his uncle who gave him his first bike. It was his ASELB coach, Laurent Tricot, who took him to races. A year later, seeing their determined son, his parents finally started accompanying him. But Lorenzo had already learned an essential lesson: nothing would be given to him. He would have to build everything, earn everything.
Growing up in the shadow of a former professional father is not always a blessing. Very quickly, pressure entered his races. Every finish, every breakaway, every performance was scrutinized, compared. People didn’t just talk about Lorenzo; they talked about the son of. A burden that took him time to shed. ” At first, it was a pressure. At every race, people talked to me about my father. Today, I am proud of his career, and when people talk to me about it, it’s always with pleasure. But now, I ride for myself.”
He learned the old-fashioned way. Emmanuel Magnien was never one to impose the ultra-scientific training plans that young racers now follow. “He always trained me without data, just telling me the number of hours to do and if I should include accelerations. He especially insisted that I not burn out too young.” While others exhaust themselves trying to rush through stages, Lorenzo progresses at his own pace. He listens to his body; he builds his progress over time.
Finding His Balance
But Lorenzo is not just a cyclist. He understood very early on that he needed balance. At 16, he began a vocational baccalaureate in landscaping, another passion passed down by his father. “I started working with him as an apprentice, and after my baccalaureate, I went full-time with him.” But rather than following the exact same path, Lorenzo created his own company: Lodgi Paysage. A strong decision that allows him to organize his work around his training and his studies.
Working in landscaping is a strength, but also a constraint. Physically, it’s an asset: “It allows me to strengthen muscles that I don’t necessarily work on the bike.” Mentally, it’s an escape. Lorenzo refuses to be confined to a single identity. He wants to be a racer, but also an entrepreneur, a free man above all.
Riding for the Present Moment
Today, Lorenzo has joined the ranks of DN1 with Guidon Chalettois, one of France’s best amateur clubs. He has climbed the ranks one by one, without rushing, with the necessary patience and rigor. He knows his worth: a sprinter capable of shining on tough finishes, a powerful rouleur who isn’t afraid to lead the chase.
His ambitions are clear, but he doesn’t get lost in unrealistic dreams. Turning professional? Why not. “I’m not chasing a pro contract, but if it comes my way, I won’t say no.” Winning a French championship? There, on the other hand, he admits: wearing the tricolor jersey for a season would be an absolute dream.
What is striking about Lorenzo is his lucidity. He observes the current world of cycling with an almost philosophical gaze. He sees these young people who impose draconian diets on themselves, who analyze every piece of data, who seek perfection while forgetting the essential. “Today, amateurs overthink their diet and training too much. They forget that the most important thing is enjoyment. You have to find a happy medium.”
And Lorenzo knows how to cultivate enjoyment. When he feels mental fatigue, he knows how to let go. A beer with friends, a good meal, a necessary break to come back stronger. He doesn’t let himself be confined to a rigid discipline, because he knows that at the end of this road, what matters is not just the list of achievements. It’s personal fulfillment, the feeling of having done things his way.
The Story Continues
Lorenzo Magnien did not choose the easy path. He could have conformed, followed the well-trodden path of a former pro’s son. He preferred to build his own way, in his own manner, finding a balance between work, passion, and enjoyment. He moves forward, without pressure, without rushing through stages. He lives cycling as he lives his life: with intensity, but without ever getting lost in obsession.
His story is that of a young man who learned to combine heritage and freedom, to forge his own path without denying where he comes from. No matter where this road leads him, one thing is certain: he will always ride with the same desire, the same inner fire that pushed him, as a child, to dream in front of his father’s dusty trophies.
And if one day he raises his arms in the tricolor jersey, we will know that this victory is not that of a name, but that of a man who never stopped believing in himself.
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