France’s long wait for a home Tour de France winner will stretch into a fifth decade, but major investment from Decathlon and CMA CGM has laid the groundwork to change that by 2030.
On the Tour’s final rest day, Dominique Serieys unveiled a sweeping new vision for the French WorldTour squad, with global shipping giant CMA CGM joining Decathlon as co-title sponsor from 2026. Together, the two French powerhouses will fund a major sporting project with an estimated annual budget of €40 million. The revamped outfit, which will race as Decathlon-CMA CGM, intends to challenge the sport’s elite – with Tour de France victory the ultimate goal.
Serieys was clear about the ambition: “We want to prepare for a great future with Paul Seixas for 2028 or 2030. We will sign more big talents and raise the budget.”
A new era for French cycling
Not since Bernard Hinault’s fifth title in 1985 has a French rider topped the final podium in Paris. Since then, the likes of Thibaut Pinot, Romain Bardet and Julian Alaphilippe have inspired but fallen short – often lacking the backing of super-teams like UAE Team Emirates-XRG or Visma – Lease a Bike.
That imbalance could now shift. CMA CGM, the third-largest container shipping company in the world, brings both capital and ambition. “We are joining a great French sporting story,” said CMA CGM CEO Rodolphe Saadé. “With the ambition to take a high-level team to the very top.”
The partnership, announced during a signing ceremony in Marseille, will also see CMA CGM replace AG2R La Mondiale, ending a decades-long association with the team as both co-sponsor and owner. The team’s base in Chambéry will remain, but with an increasingly international roster and strategy.
Seixas the future leader
At the heart of the project is Paul Seixas, the most hyped French talent in years. Just 18, he was junior world time trial champion in 2024 and won the Giro della Lunigiana. This year, he finished an impressive eighth at the Critérium du Dauphiné – a result that accelerated internal discussions about his future Tour debut.
Serieys confirmed the team will be built around Seixas in the coming years but stressed patience: “We need time, because his first results are probably expected in 2028.”
Seixas is set to lead France at the Tour de l’Avenir later this summer, with his first Tour de France appearance expected in either 2026 or 2027. “They can be top candidates for winning the Tour in the coming years,” current race leader Tadej Pogačar said on Monday.
Kooij, Benoot and more to follow
The new investment will reshape the squad’s transfer policy. Serieys confirmed plans to sign at least ten new riders for 2026. Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij is expected to join from Visma – Lease a Bike, with Tiesj Benoot, Cees Bol, Daan Hoole and Tobias Lund Andresen linked to forming a dedicated lead-out train.
The team will not only target Grand Tours, but also aim for success in the Classics. “We’re going to be present in Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo with real ambition,” said Serieys.
Building a full structure
Beyond the WorldTour team, Decathlon-CMA CGM will continue to invest in its development and junior set-up, with 26 riders already under their umbrella. The goal is to create a pipeline from youth to elite, with early signals of success already coming through riders like Seixas.
According to reports in France, a women’s team will also be launched in 2027 – reflecting the long-term nature of the project and the desire to be competitive across the sport.
As Javier López, CEO of Decathlon, put it: “We are continuing to develop not just a team, but a winning project. One that reflects our vision of collective progress and contributes meaningfully to the future of cycling.”
