Dream debut for Kooij: Dutchman wins his first sprint for Decathlon CMA CGM
CyclingFriday, 29 May 2026 at 17:23
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Follow us on GoogleThe opening stage of Boucles de la Mayenne was won by Olav Kooij. The Dutchman sprinted straight to victory in his first road stage for Decathlon CMA CGM, after being troubled by a virus during the spring.
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The 51st edition of Boucles de la Mayenne began on Thursday with a prologue. After a nerve-wracking battle against the clock, Julius Johansen eventually came out on top. The UAE rider won the prologue by 1 second from Jakob Söderqvist and started Friday’s first stage in the leader’s jersey.
That first stage was normally one for the sprinters. With Matthew Brennan, Mads Pedersen, Juan Sebastián Molano and the returning Olav Kooij, it promised to be a very exciting sprint duel.
Five-man breakaway gets away
From the start, punchy attacker Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché) attacked. He was immediately joined by three fellow Frenchmen and Caja Rural rider Javier Ibáñez. The five-man lead grew to around 2 minutes.
In the peloton, UAE took control for overall leader Johansen and sprinter Molano. With 70 kilometres to go, there were suddenly attacks in the bunch, almost bringing back the breakaway, but calm returned just in time.
Veistroffer tries to win solo
With 30 kilometres to go, the Frenchman from Lotto-Intermarché decided to accelerate. His fellow escapees could not follow, so a solo move followed. The Frenchman stayed clear for a long time and still had a 30-second lead with 15 kilometres to go.
From that point on, Visma | Lease a Bike took over at the front of the peloton. The Frenchman was quickly caught. In the sprint preparation, Kooij was superbly positioned by Cees Bol, after which he could take the win straight away on his return. Young Alessio Magagnotti finished a fine second.
Stage 1 result Boucles de la Mayenne :
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Enric saying “limit the damage” feels right, but he can’t keep giving Pog 5–10 seconds every summit. Minor gripe: the article glosses over Gall’s watts—would’ve loved some data. Grande etapa, pero faltan números, no?lindae28-08-2026
- - Red Bull-BORA with Roglič a minute back—does that gap matter this early or is it normal to let Pogačar have a cushion before the high mountains/time trial? Also, is Stage 9 a proper queen stage or just media hype?cadencekingm28-08-2026
- - Quick question: why did Decathlon take it up if it helped Pog in the end? Wouldn’t it have been better to sit on UAE’s tempo and wait? I’m still figuring out how these team tactics work on summit finishes.julien28-08-2026
- - Not sure I buy Mas’ “frustrated” angle. Pogacar just rode the numbers when Gall opened the gap, then closed and added six seconds for free. If that’s irritation, I hope my GC leader gets angry like that every day.samanthak28-08-2026
- - Gall looked sharp today. That Decathlon CMA CGM pull on the last climb actually made sense tactically—force UAE to respond, then Felix goes. Pog’s counter was vintage: measure, then sting. Stage 9 is going to be carnage if he’s already this comfy.patriciaw28-08-2026
- - Slightly sceptical about the piece framing it as frustration. The quotes from Pogacar read like he was in control. Maybe we’re overreading the body language?tourdeforce928-08-2026
- - “We’re here to win the GC, not to mess around.” That line says it all. He saved UAE’s matches and still gained time. Efficient as ever.andrewf28-08-2026
- - Can someone explain why Decathlon was pacing for Gall if he couldn’t follow when Pog pushed on? Is that a normal tactic or did it backfire?gearguru3328-08-2026
- - Mas stirring the pot a bit there. Don’t think Pog was “angry,” more like opportunistic when the gap opened. That steady-pace surge is his trademark. GC contenders behind must be fuming.patriciaw28-08-2026
- - Loved how Pogacar downplayed the drama. Classic Tadej: calm, clinical, and straight to the point. If Decathlon want to light it up for Gall, he’ll just ride them off his wheel anyway.lindae28-08-2026
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