"I was happy to get out of my comfort zone": Tiesj Benoot seeks freedom and leadership at Decathlon

Tiesj Benoot views his transfer from Visma-Lease a Bike to Decathlon CMA CGM Team as a "new beginning." After four years serving primarily as a luxury domestique for Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard, the 31-year-old Belgian has moved to the French squad to rediscover the freedom of racing for himself.

While his time at the Dutch super-team was relatively successful (highlighted by a victory at Kuurne -Bruxelles - Kuurne in 2023 and multiple podiums) Benoot admits that the switch was driven by a desire to break his routine.

"We had the first contacts in January of last year, but the decision came a little later, during the classics period," Benoot explained to bici.pro regarding the timeline of the transfer. "I chose Decathlon because it is a rapidly growing team. I didn't have a real reason to leave Visma, but I was happy to get out of my comfort zone again, I needed to change and find new stimuli."

Benoot acknowledges that his role at Decathlon will feel like a return to his earlier years at Lotto (2014-2019) and Sunweb (2020-2021).

"Yes, a little bit, I think. But that was what I needed," he said. "Decathlon is perhaps a bit more similar to Lotto and Sunweb where I was before, but in the end, I think we will still have a stronger team than I had back then."

His schedule remains focused on the traditional spring window, where he has usually excelled. "The main period is March-April... I will do seven races, starting with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then almost all the others, skipping only Roubaix. If I manage to win one, my season will already be super good. But my goal is just to be in top shape during that period." Before that, he is set to debut mid-February at the Volta ao Algarve.

Benoot joins a team that has been revitalized recently, boasting young talents like Léo Bisiaux and Paul Seixas. The veteran was impressed by what he saw of them while racing as a rival last year.

"I have the distinct feeling, now that we are side by side, that they will take the next step in the coming years and for sure they have a great future," Benoot noted. "I hope to be part of it and be able to help them, because they really have great opportunities. The first piece of advice I can give them is to take their activity very calmly, not to get crushed by the pressure."

Looking ahead to the summer, Benoot is eager for the Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona. It will mark his ninth consecutive participation in the Grande Boucle.

"It has been 9 years since I missed an edition and I really like the start outside of France," he said. While he cherishes the two Tour victories he helped Vingegaard achieve at Visma, he hopes this new chapter might offer a different kind of glory. "Maybe this could be the right year to leave my mark, doing it with a French team would also have a special meaning."