Decathlon AG2R deprives Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel of their lead-out and continues to build on project Kooij

Kooij finds himself in a difficult situation. The 23-year-old Dutchman is known as one of the fastest men in the peloton, but at Visma | Lease a Bike, he has not yet been allowed to compete in the Tour de France. And so he is looking at other options. The sprinter, currently riding in the Giro d'Italia, is set to sign a million-dollar contract with the French team. Kooij will be one of the team's lead riders, meaning a strong sprint train will be built around him.

The 23-year-old Dutchman, who already has 40 professional victories, including two Giro stages, will be joined by two compatriots. Cees Bol will join from XDS Astana, and Daan Hoole, who impressively won the second-time trial in this Giro, will come over from Lidl-Trek. With the presence of Tord Gudmestad, Oliver Naesen, and Stan Dewulf, among others, there is already a lot of quality for sprint preparation in the French team.

But that's not all: a third rider is also likely to join the team; this time, it's not a Dutchman. According to the Belgian newspaper, Robbe Ghys is also switching to Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. The 28-year-old Belgian will be an important player in the French team, supporting Kooij, who hopes to win a monument with the French team.

Ghys has already shown that he can be of great value. He is a key member of Jasper Philipsen's sprint train and has helped his compatriot win on several occasions, including in the Tour de France and the Belgian spring classics. From next season, he will likely fulfill that role for Olav Kooij.