A bit out of his comfort zone, but with a concrete goal and a solid core around him. That’s how Olav Kooij feels after his first weeks at Decathlon CMA CGM, where he is the new sprint leader and preparing for the big spring classics and the Tour de France. The ambition to go for the green points jersey was publicly set by the team boss, and Kooij shares that view. "That is also personally a dream," he said in front of our camera.
"It really feels like a new start," Kooij told WielerFlits. "The past years aligned well with my development, but now it’s a good moment to take a new step. Both in terms of environment and sporting ambitions. Decathlon CMA CGM matches the ambitions I have personally, so it all comes together nicely. Hopefully, we can build something great."
The French team has heavily invested in a sprint train around Kooij, including riders like Cees Bol, Robbe Ghys, and Daan Hoole. In those transfers, The Cheetah of Numansdorp admits he played a role. "You discuss it with the team, you have the ambition to win races, and in sprints, the train and preparation are of course a big part of that. I had some input on that as well. We want to build a core group to optimize those sprints."
His departure from Visma | Lease a Bike was already widely discussed last season, as that team’s GC ambitions left no room for broad support for Kooij in the grand tours. At Decathlon CMA CGM, that space is available. "That’s what I was looking for and preferred, to work with a fixed group. That looks good here, and hopefully, we can get that up and running early."
"It’s my first time changing teams, because since the U23 level I've been with the same team. It’s a step out of my comfort zone, but so far, it feels very good," says Kooij.
'This is the right moment to take the step towards the Tour'
At the team presentation, the CEO was full of ambition: he wants to go for the green jersey in the Tour de France with Kooij. "That is also personally a dream," Kooij agrees with the team boss. "Initially, the goal is to win a stage and hopefully in the coming years, a serious shot at the green jersey will follow. The Tour was the next step. The past few years were great with the Giro, but this is the right moment to take the step towards the Tour. That’s something to look forward to."
"The aim is to get stronger and better every year, both in substance and in sprinting. That’s something you keep working on. I want to reach my best physical level, first in spring and then in the Tour. Then we’ll see what that brings," says Kooij, who also wants to show himself in the classic spring races. He will use the UAE Tour to prepare for the Opening Weekend, followed by Paris-Nice as his last test before the bigger classics.
Classics
"My goals are probably the same as in previous years. The classics that have a chance to end in a sprint," he explains. He (deliberately?) does not mention Milan-San Remo. "But I will definitely ride Gent-Wevelgem and De Panne (which in 2026 is the Tour of Bruges, ed.). Also, in spring, the depth is important. We don’t have the absolute top stars there, but we have a strong team with guys like Tiesj Benoot, who can be found in the finale. I think there are still good opportunities for the team there."
Olav Kooij| Race | Date |
|---|---|
 UAE Tour | 16 Feb - 22 Feb |
 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 28 Feb |
| Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne | 1 Mar |
 Paris-Nice | 8 Mar - 15 Mar |
| Ronde van Brugge | 25 Mar |
| In Flanders Fields | 29 Mar |
| Tour de France | 4 Jul - 26 Jul |
