The transfer market is heating up as two WorldTour squads effectively trade riders. Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij will leave Visma – Lease a Bike after five years to join Decathlon–AG2R. The French team will rebrand as Decathlon CMA CGM next season.
Meanwhile, French time trial champion Bruno Armirail is set to move from Decathlon to Visma, giving the Dutch team added depth in stage races.
Kooij, 23, quickly proved himself one of the most reliable young sprinters in the peloton, with a long list of wins and the speed to go head-to-head with the very best. At Decathlon, he will sign on for three years and is expected to get his long-awaited Tour de France opportunity.
“I’m really looking forward to starting with Decathlon CMA CGM in 2026 and beginning a new chapter in my career,” Kooij said in the team’s announcement. “We share a big ambition to perform at the highest level.”
In 2025, he took nine wins — including two stages at the Giro d’Italia.
Heading in the other direction is Armirail. The 31-year-old joins Visma on a two-year deal. He arrives as a proven all-rounder, capable of supporting leaders across a variety of terrain. “He has a big engine and still has room to improve,” Visma directeur sportif Grischa Niermann said. “We believe he can take more steps in our environment.”
Armirail himself described the move as a “unique chance” to ride for one of the top teams in the world. The Frenchman is currently racing the Vuelta a España, sitting 15th overall.