🚨Cycling transfers: The inside story on Olav Kooij's move to Decathlon CMA CGM
How the French team beat Ineos, Jayco, Red Bull and Tudor to the rider's signature
It’s early spring 2025, and after two solid months of initial negotiations and talks, Olav Kooij has a shortlist of five teams vying to sign him.
Leading the pack are Red Bull, followed closely by Ineos Grenadiers, Decathlon, Jayco AlUla, and Tudor Pro Cycling. Over the coming weeks, the rider and his representatives at SEG must make a decision, but although staying at Visma Lease a Bike is no longer likely, Kooij remains open-minded about the situation.
This is the story of how Kooij and the bulk of his future leadout train ended up signing three-year contracts with Decathlon CMA CGM in one of the most unique group deals in cycling history, and how Kooij heads into 2026 with leadership at the Tour de France guaranteed and the biggest salary of all the sprinters in pro cycling.
To truly understand the situation at the start of the year, we must rewind to 2023, when Kooij’s contract was last up for renewal. Several teams were vying to sign the young sprinter at the time, and he was one of the most sought-after prospects on the market that season. Although it seemed likely he would leave Visma, an eventual renewal was agreed upon with two more years added to his contract, despite interest from the UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Israel Premier Tech, and several other squads.
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