Paul Seixas gets ahead of everyone and announces the start of his 2026 season

After his brilliant debut season in the top category, the young gem of Decathlon CMA-CGM, at just 19 years old, is already eagerly looking towards 2026, which will have a top-level calendar until spring in a usual trajectory, although the team has not confirmed that this will be the case for those preparing for the Tour de France.

Decathlon CMA-GGM presents a racing program for Paul Seixas aimed at the Tour de France

Even before competing in the World Tour, which he did last year, Paul Seixas already carries the burden of being the one to end France's drought of victories in the Tour de France, which has lasted more than 30 years. The young cyclist from Lyon does not shy away from that responsibility and already in his neo-professional season achieved a brilliant victory in the Tour of the Future and rubbed shoulders with Remco, Tadej, and company in the final stretch of the season, earning a very commendable bronze medal at the European Championship.

In 2026, Paul Seixas will have to start confirming his status as an emerging star, and to do so, his team, Decathlon CMA-CGM, has prepared a top-level racing calendar for the start of the season.

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The start of 2026 will see Paul Seixas debut in the Volta ao Algarve, from February 18 to 22, as a way to get acquainted with competition. His participation in the Faun-Ardèche Classic a week later will have a similar profile, after which he will focus solely on World Tour events, with his calendar including participation in Strade Bianche, Itzulia, Flecha Valona, and culminating in Liège-Bastogne-Liège well into April. This is a race that the French cyclist already knows how to win, having conquered it last year in the junior category.

In Seixas's own words, "We have built my season start around races where I can really express myself and seek victory. The Ardèche Classic, Strade Bianche, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège are events that excite me and whose profiles suit my needs. My goals are clear: to raise my arms in victory and confirm my progress by giving my best on the bike."

This calendar is usually the norm for cyclists who have the Tour de France as one of their main objectives. An aspect on which Decathlon CMA-CGM deflects attention. Paul Seixas had shown in some statements his intention to debut in a grand tour during the 2026 season; however, given his youth, it would be most reasonable to think that his team wants to be cautious with his cycling progression and not try to rush things prematurely.

In any case, the French team leaves the door open. While the Giro d'Italia seems completely ruled out given the long competition period awaiting Paul Seixas in the early months of the season, as mentioned earlier, it is a typical preparation for those facing the Tour de France, and of course, La Vuelta a España could also be another option of lesser demand for such a young cyclist.

In any case, Decathlon CMA-CGM concludes with an "Anything is possible," even that he may not participate in any grand tour, a decision that will surely be made by the performance managers based on how Paul Seixas's performance and adaptation to the efforts progress.