"When we finished second last summer, I couldn't say it felt like a victory": Former Vingegaard lieutenant seeks new spark at Decathlon CMA CGM

Tiesj Benoot will begin the 2026 cycling season in new colors, having traded the yellow and black of Team Visma | Lease a Bike for the kit of Decathlon CMA CGM Team. After four successful years with the Dutch formation, the Belgian rider has spoken about his decision to step out of his comfort zone and join a team he views as one of the fastest-growing projects in the sport.

Benoot is scheduled to debut in February at the Volta ao Algarve with his new squad. In an interview with In de Leiderstrui, Benoot explained the motivations behind his transfer.

"The biggest difference is that I work with a lot of new people. If I were to start my fifth year at Visma now, everything would become a bit ordinary," Benoot admitted. "I wasn't tired of it, but it feels refreshing. You have some urge to prove yourself again, you meet a lot of new people and on a structural level things go just a little differently. But that is the case with every team."

He was convinced by the vision pitched to him by the team's management, seeing an opportunity to be part of a team on an upward trajectory. "After the conversations with Dominique Serieys and Stephen Barret, I was convinced that it could be a nice step and I was also looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and stepping into a growing project."

A significant factor in Benoot's decision was the overwhelming pressure to win at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. Following their historic 2023 season, where they won all three Grand Tours, the bar was set so high that anything less felt like failure.

"At Visma we won three Grand Tours and five spring classics in 2023. Whether you want it or not, you are measured against that," he explained. "When we finished second last summer [at the Tour de France] and won the team classification, I couldn't say it felt like a victory. But if that were to happen here [at Decathlon], then the season is more than successful."

He views Decathlon CMA CGM as a team regaining its former glory, noting their rapid rise in the UCI rankings over the last two years.

"It is one of the fastest growing teams in professional cycling. If you see where they have already finished in the UCI Ranking in the last two years - not with the biggest names: fifth and sixth, I think. That was also one of my reasons for finally taking the step, that I end up in a project that is growing. Everyone has the will to move forward and that is something you need to be critical."

Benoot’s departure was met with regret by Visma's management, including Richard Plugge and Grischa Niermann. His close friend Wout van Aert also tried to keep him on board, but nobody could convince him to stay. Still, there is no bad blood.

"I still have a very good relationship with Wout and I also discussed it with him before I signed," Benoot said. "I also wanted him to be aware of what was going on, because we were working on a project together. That is nice to hear [that they were disappointed] and I could have done well at Visma, but nobody died either."

Before making his final decision, Benoot consulted with friends and future teammates within the Decathlon structure, including Oliver Naesen, Stan Dewulf, and Johannes Staune Mittet, who confirmed his positive impressions of the team culture.

"That image that was sketched for me corresponds to what I see. The will to improve is very great," he concluded.