Among the 18 men’s WorldTour teams in 2025, Decathlon CMA CGM (previously Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) have announced the most transfers so far, with nine new riders confirmed for their 2026 squad as they build for the present and the future.
In a huge overhaul of their squad, the French team have brought in several big names, most notably top sprinter Olav Kooij and the versatile Tiesj Benoot, both from Visma-Lease a Bike, along with a lead-out train for the former and expert staff in Mark Renshaw to guide them.
Decathlon also have a luxury that most teams don’t enjoy – a potential Tour de France winner among their ranks in Paul Seixas. The rising star remains a key focus as they head into 2026, and after his very impressive neo-pro season, alongside the presence of Felix Gall, Decathlon can be confident that they don’t need to invest in a main GC prospect.
Building a new sprint train
In cycling’s recent seasons, sprints have for the most part been dominated by four men: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) and Olav Kooij.
Having one of them is a massive bonus and all but guarantees wins. In signing the latter, who is also the youngest of the four, it gives Decathlon the ability to compete for victories at any race, including the Tour de France, and at 24, Kooij should only get better into his mid and late 20s.
He’s netted double-figure victories in three of his past four seasons and 47 already as a pro, 17 of which were at the WorldTour level, and it’s this level of success that not only gives the French team someone to build around for sprints but should also take pressure off their other stars.
While reports suggest the money required to bring in his services was eye-watering, the value of a Tour de France stage win, which Kooij should be taking aim at on debut next July, would make the investment worth it. Plus, it’s been two years since…
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