Visma | Lease a Bike says goodbye to key domestique: Benoot starts "new chapter" at Decathlon

Benoot joined Team DSM in 2022 and immediately became an established member of Jumbo-Visma. Riding for the Killer Bees, he competed in the Tour de France every year and was at the start of nine Monuments. However, rumors of a possible departure began to circulate in the spring. “I'm delighted to be joining Decathlon CMA CGM in 2026,” Benoot said on the website of his new team. “It's a new chapter in my career, within an ambitious team where I'll be able to progress even further.”

At Visma | Lease a Bike, the classics specialist only managed to win once: he won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2023. But this year he finished sixth in the Tour of Flanders, and in 2024 he ended up on the podium of the Amstel Gold Race. We will continue to see Benoot in these kinds of races with his new French employer. “The ambition of the project and the trust placed in me give me great motivation to achieve great results and play an important role in the classics and in serving the team.”

Sports director Sebastièn Joly explains what is expected of Benoot. “Tiesj Benoot's recruitment fits in perfectly with the team's project. He's a very experienced rider with great physical potential. He will bring us a lot, both during the classics campaigns, in a protected leadership role, and during stage races, where he could be a very important team member. We're delighted to have a rider of this stature join us. We can't wait to welcome him and start working with him.”