"Clogged arteries at the age of 24 definitely wasn't on my bingo card" - Johannes Staune-Mittet's season is over in July
CyclingWednesday, 29 July 2026 at 09:00
Decathlon CMA CGM have many talented individuals among their ranks, led by Paul Seixas and Olav Kooij. But the Norwegian climber Johannes Staune-Mittet joined last winter with just as great ambitions after he broke out of his contract at Visma | Lease a Bike to join the French formation.
As a 2023 Giro Next Gen champion, Staune-Mittet as a high-quality GC prospect preceeded his entry to WorldTour. And while it's taken a bit of time for the Norwegian to grow accustomed to the new level, he eventually started to display glimpses of his potential again in 2025 with 12th overall in both Tour de Romandie and Tour de Pologne.
However the new season did not meet the 24-year-old in a good state. Despite a mediocre run-up, Staune-Mittet headed to Giro d'Italia in support of Felix Gall, and even finished 34th overall himself. But the feeling was sub-optimal for a while, as the Decathlon rider reveals the reason:
"Clogged arteries at the age of 24 was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card," Staune-Mittet opens in his Instagram story. "Over the past month, we have been searching for answers to why it has felt like the handbrake has been on for a while. Happy to finally know that this is caused by stenosis in my iliac arteries."
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No more racing in 2026
While the Norwegian doesn't yet have clear plan of recovery, as much as is known that he would not compete again in 2026. His last racing appointment of the season was therefore the French stage 2.1 race La Route d'Occitanie in mid-June where Staune-Mittet finished 23rd overall.
"Currently waiting for an exact surgery date. As much as it hurts to only be supporting the boys from the couch for the rest of the season, I am at the same time relieved to have the opportunity to return a good level."
Common injury
Iliac artery problems are not uncommon to the professional peloton in recent years. Among top riders; Fabio Jakobsen, Cian Uijtdebroeks or Zdenek Stybar had to - more or less successfully - deal with this health complication.
Generally speaking, the trend is that younger riders such as Uijtdebroeks tend to have slightly smoother return as compared to seasoned veterans.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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