Olav Kooij set for long-awaited Decathlon debut

The Dutch sprinter joined the French squad over the winter from Visma | Lease a Bike, but a persistent virus wiped out his spring and delayed what should have been one of the team’s most anticipated early season debuts.

The four day race in northern France, held from 28 to 31 May, will now serve as Kooij’s first competitive outing of 2026 and the opening step in a carefully planned rebuild towards the summer.

Team director Sébastien Joly confirmed the news on the French cycling show Bistrot Vélo, saying the 24-year-old’s recovery is moving in the right direction.

“Olav is doing very well,” Joly said. “He will return to competition at the Boucles de la Mayenne, and then at the Tour of Belgium. Between the two, he will also do a training camp to further fine tune his sprint and his top speed. Everything is really moving in the right direction, and we are very happy to have Olav back with us.”

Kooij’s first months in Decathlon CMA CGM colours have been frustratingly quiet. The virus that kept him out of racing forced him to miss the spring classics and left the team waiting to see its new sprinter, who won 11 races in 2025, in action.

After Mayenne, the plan is for Kooij to head to altitude before lining up at the Baloise Belgium Tour from 17 to 21 June. 

Whether that programme ultimately leads to a Tour de France debut remains to be seen. Kooij had been expected to target the Tour as one of his major goals for the year, but Decathlon CMA CGM’s final selection is still open, particularly with the rapid development of climbing talent Paul Seixas giving the team more options for July.