"The right choice," says Staune-Mittet, who charms French team after surprise Visma exit: "Positively surprised"

Staune-Mittet won the Giro NextGen in 2023, firmly establishing himself as a future world-class rider. Visma | Lease a Bike recognized his potential and promoted the talented climber to the WorldTour team. But with Jonas Vingegaard, Sepp Kuss, Matteo Jorgenson, Cian Uijtdebroeks and a host of other top-tier riders on the roster, there was little room for Staune-Mittet in the big races last year. That’s why he saw more opportunities to chase his own ambitions in France.

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale offered Staune-Mittet a three-year contract, and in his first few months with the team he was immediately lined up for WorldTour races like Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya. Starting Tuesday, he’ll take on the Tour de Romandie. “I feel really good with my new team, with new challenges and more opportunities. I feel privileged to be in this position. Every day I get signs that I made the right choice, so that’s pretty cool.”

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The results haven’t quite come yet for the talented Norwegian, although he did finish eighth overall at the Ruta del Sol and spent a strong day in the break during a brutal mountain stage in Catalonia. Sports director Luke Roberts stresses that big results aren’t the goal just yet. “In 2024, we’re giving him the chance to get used to riding for GC as a leader, but he’ll also ride a Grand Tour in support of another team leader. He’ll take something away from every race, no matter what role he has. The expectations aren’t sky-high, but it’s great for him to already be taking steps in WorldTour races.”

Roberts is also new to Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, having spent several years at what is now known as Picnic PostNL. That meant he and Staune-Mittet had to get to know each other first. “I hadn’t worked much with Johannes until Tirreno, but from our very first contact I was positively surprised by his personality. I’d already heard a lot about him, that he’s great to work with, but that first phone call gave me real energy. The way he reacted, and his willingness to be coached, left a really good first impression.”

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Roberts admits he was also surprised when Staune-Mittet chose to leave Visma | Lease a Bike for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. “But every rider who parts ways with a team has their reasons. For Johannes, this was a chance to grow into a leadership role, and we’re committed to supporting that trajectory. We want to shape him into a GC rider and see how far he can go in stage races.”

“I just get more opportunities now, in the races I do, the support I get at training camps... It’s really cool. I’m happy,” Staune-Mittet says. “My goals? I just want to ride as hard as I can. If I’ve given everything by the end of a race week, that’s a win for me.” Roberts adds, “Johannes is highly motivated and genuinely values the work we’re putting into him. His energy is contagious and it makes you want to give even more back.”

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So far, so good. But what is it like to suddenly switch from working in a Dutch setup to a fully French environment? “Of course it’s a challenge, but Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale clearly wants to become a more international team,” says Roberts. “That’s part of why I’m here. They were looking for people from outside France, with experience at other teams. You do notice the more traditional side of the organization and see areas where they’ve lacked international influence in recent years. But it’s also interesting to be part of a different culture.”

Both Staune-Mittet and Roberts will have to adjust, although the timing seems right. Roberts explains, “English is now the first language in the team, which is great for me. The riders appreciate clear communication in English, so they know exactly what’s expected of them and what their role is. I already understand French quite well, and I’m ready to improve it so I can communicate better with the French riders. But English will remain the main language.”

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])