Just a few days ago Decathlon and AG2R La Mondiale announced that starting from next January 1st Decathlon will become the sole owner of the team, taking over from AG2R La Mondiale. A couple of weeks later, another announcement has arrived, adding another piece to the future of the French team. From 2026 the new name of the team will be Decathlon CMA CGM (opening photo by Pauline Ballet).
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CMA CGM, expressed himself in the following terms when speaking about this new “sporting” chapter in the history of his company.
"I am proud to announce that our Group is becoming a sponsor of the Decathlon CMA CGM cycling team. This partnership reflects what we share with Decathlon: strong family roots, a long-term vision and values such as boldness, perseverance and humilityToday, we are joining a great French sporting history, with the ambition of taking a top-level team to the top."
Global reality
The CMA CGM Group is a global player in maritime, land, air and logistics transport solutions.Present in 177 countries, it employs 160.000 people, including nearly 6.000 in Marseille, where its headquarters are located.
The third largest shipping company in the world, CMA CGM serves over 420 ports on 5 continents with a fleet of over 650 vessels. Its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, one of the top five global operators, operates 1.000 warehouses and handled 15 million shipments in 2024.The Group's air cargo division operates a fleet of cargo aircraft under the CMA CGM AIR CARGO and Air Belgium brands.
The CMA CGM Foundation provides humanitarian aid in crisis situations and is committed to education for all and equal opportunities worldwide. To date, the CMA CGM Foundation has transported 63.000 tons of humanitarian aid to 97 countries and has supported over 550 educational projects.
Sport in DNA
CMA CGM is closely linked to the world of sports. The company is the main partner of Olympique Marseille, a team that plays in Ligue 1, the top French football league.
CMA CGM has been a supporter of the International Tour of Guadeloupe since 2023. In 2024, the Group was also an Official Partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as proof of his deep commitment to sport.
Shared values
Javier López, Chief Executive Officer of Decathlon, was keen to underline the many values shared with CMA CGM: «This partnership with CMA CGM embodies our shared human values and our dedication to people. Together, we are committed to taking the team to the highest level of cycling., not only by achieving sporting excellence but also by cultivating the champions of tomorrow. Guided by a spirit of personal improvement, teamwork, and a deep belief in sport as a force for good, we continue to develop not just a team, but a winning project. A project that reflects our vision of collective progress and contributes significantly to the future of cycling.We look forward to writing this new chapter with CMA CGM, with passion, humility and ambition."
A long-term project
Having announced the new name for 2026 right away confirms that Decathlon CMA CGM has very clear ideas: the future objective is to reach compete with the best teams on the WorldTour circuit while building a long-term project starting from the youthThe Development team (12 riders from seven nationalities) and the Junior team (14 riders from seven nationalities) will be central to this strategy. Both teams reflect the team's desire to grow from within, prepare tomorrow's champions, and shape the future of cycling with determination and passion.
