"The main goal is a Tour de France stage win" - Olav Kooij determined to seize his Grand Boucle debut after years waiting in Visma's wings

Olav Kooij has waited a long time for his chance to lead at the Tour de France. After years operating in the shadow of GC ambitions at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the Dutch sprinter now has a clear runway at Decathlon CMA CGM Team.

And as he settles into his new environment, he makes no attempt to hide what 2026 is really about. “It is in first instance the goal to win a stage,” he told Wielerflits, adding that the green jersey is “also a personal dream”.

For a rider who has spent his entire senior career inside one structure, the move marks a sharp shift. Kooij admits it feels like a reset. “It really feels like a fresh start. The past years matched my development nicely, but now it feels like a good moment to take a new step,” he said. “Decathlon CMA CGM fit with the ambitions I have myself. Hopefully we can build something good.”

One major difference at his new team is support. Decathlon CMA CGM have invested heavily in a dedicated sprint group built around Kooij, bringing in Cees Bol, Robbe Ghys and Daan Hoole. The Dutchman played his part in shaping that structure. “You look at that together with the team. You have the ambition to win races and in sprints the train and the preparation are a big part of that. I had input in that too. We want to build a fixed core to optimise those sprints.”

That level of backing was impossible at Visma | Lease a Bike, whose Grand Tour goals consistently left him without a full train. Kooij makes it clear that this reality influenced his decision. “That is something I was looking for and what I preferred, to work on that with a fixed group. It looks good here and hopefully we can get that on the rails early.”

Switching teams for the first time in his professional life brings its own challenges, but the early signs are positive. “It is a step out of the comfort zone, but so far it feels very good,” he said.

The Decathlon CMA CGM hierarchy did not hide their expectations at the team presentation, declaring their intent to chase the points classification. Kooij did not step away from that target. “That is also a personal dream,” he said. But 2026 is about priorities, and he is clear about the first task. “It is in first instance the goal to win a stage and hopefully in the coming years a serious chance at the green jersey will come with that.”

The Tour, he believes, is where his path now naturally leads. “The past years were nice with the Giro, but this is the right moment to take the step towards the Tour. That is something to look forward to.”

His season will build gradually towards France. “The goal is to become stronger and better each year, both in terms of fitness and sprinting. I want to reach my best physical level, first in the spring and then in the Tour. Then we will see what that delivers.”

Though the Tour is the headline, Kooij is not dropping the Classics. “My goals are probably the same as the past years. The Classics that also have a chance of ending in a sprint,” he said. He did not mention Milan San Remo, but confirmed Gent Wevelgem and the Ronde van Brugge will be targets.

He believes the team has depth to punch above its weight. “We do not have the absolute top riders, but a strong team with guys like Tiesj Benoot who are there in the finale. I think there are really nice opportunities for the team there.”

Olav Kooij finally has the structure he has long needed: a full sprint train, a fixed core, a Tour debut, and a team unafraid to talk openly about green. After years waiting for room to breathe, 2026 offers the chance to show what he can really do when the road is shaped around him. And with a stage win set as his non-negotiable objective, he will arrive at the Grand Boucle with intent rather than curiosity.