Olav Kooij to make Decathlon-CMA CGM debut at end of May

Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij was subject of one of the biggest transfers of the winter, making the jump to the re-booted Decathlon-CMA CGM where he would benefit from far greater focus than he'd ever enjoyed at Visma-Lease a Bike. However, a persistent virus has kept him out of racing for an extended period. Only now, in mid May, has news of Kooij's 2026 debut arrived, with the Dutchman due to pin race numbers to his new kit for the first time at the end of the month.

"Olav is doing very well at the moment. It's really going in the right direction," Decathlon-CMA CGM DS Sebastian Joly told Bistrot Velo.

Joly announced that his team's Dutch fast man will race two sprinter-friendly stage races, the Boucles de la Mayenne (28-31) and Baloise Belgium Tour (17-21 June) in the build-up to an anticipated first-ever Tour de France (4-26 July) participation, where Kooij has already seen his role downgraded somewhat by the confirmation that young teammate Paul Seixas is making his debut at his home Grand Tour.

"So between those two stage races, he will finish a training camp to further perfect his sprint and top speed,” Joly continued. "So it's really going in the right direction and we are very happy that we can count on Olav again."