Paul Seixas surprises the world in his first Grand Tour

When Decathlon CMA CGM confirmed that Paul Seixas would compete in the Tour de France 2026 at just 19 years old, the announcement opened one of the most intense debates leading up to the race. For part of the peloton and the fans, it was too risky a bet for such a young rider, while others argued that the Frenchman had already demonstrated throughout the season that he had the level to compete with the best and that the experience of a Grand Tour would accelerate his growth.

Paul Seixas clears all doubts in his Tour debut: fourth at 19 years old despite a fall, a cold, and several setbacks

Three weeks later, Seixas has successfully completed his first Grand Tour, finishing fourth in the general classification, fighting for the podium until the penultimate stage and delivering one of the most outstanding performances of the entire Tour.

The young Frenchman arrived in Paris just 2:14 behind Isaac del Toro's third place, a difference that becomes even more significant when analyzing the context in which both fought for the podium.

An uneven duel for the third step of the podium

While Isaac del Toro had the direct support of Tadej Pogačar in the decisive moments, Seixas seemed to have to overcome several difficulties within his own team during the race.

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In the second stage, Decathlon CMA CGM was involved in a chaotic situation when they launched an attack while their leader had just suffered a flat tire and was still trying to return to the group after a radio communication failure. A circumstance that forced the Frenchman to expend unnecessary energy from the start of the Tour.

The strategic difference became evident again in the high mountains. In the queen stage, the French team increased the pace so much from afar that Seixas himself was close to being dropped before the decisive moment, even having to shout directly to his teammates to slow down. That same day, Pogačar gave up playing his personal options to accompany Isaac del Toro to the finish and secure his advantage in the fight for the podium.

This was not an isolated episode. In stage 15, radio communications also showed how Del Toro asked his Slovenian teammate for help to not increase the pace during the climb so he could stay on his wheel, a request that the Tour leader accepted.

Besides all that, he fell a day before the Tour started and was sick

Now, once the Tour has concluded, it has also come to light that Seixas faced the race under far from ideal conditions.

According to L’Équipe, the Frenchman suffered a fall during a reconnaissance training in Barcelona on July 1, just three days before the team time trial that opened the race. That fall explains the bandages he appeared with at the official start, although both the rider and Decathlon CMA CGM decided to keep the incident a secret.

A few days later, he also had to overcome a cold during the first week of competition, a circumstance that also did not come to light during the race at the express wish of the cyclist himself.

Interestingly, his main rival for the podium, Isaac del Toro, also acknowledged after the Tour that he went through several days of illness, even though during the competition he had downplayed those physical problems.

A maturity uncharacteristic of a debutant

Far from lamenting having missed the podium in the last major mountain stage, Seixas preferred to focus on everything he learned in his first three weeks of competition at the highest level.

“I am very happy that it is over. We have had three magnificent weeks with the team. I came here and finished fourth overall. I fought for the podium throughout the Tour. It has been a very good Tour and I am already looking forward to competing in my next Grand Tour,” he declared to France Télévisions after arriving in Paris.

The Frenchman explained that the biggest difficulty was not his legs, but the constant tension of leading a general classification.

“The hardest part was the nervousness. Every day there are riders who believe they can win the stage, and as a leader, you have to avoid problems, position yourself well, and always be alert. There is never a day off.”

Despite coming close to the podium, he insists he wouldn’t change anything about what he experienced during these three weeks.

“I wouldn’t change anything. Everything serves to learn for the future. Nothing is perfect, but we did the best we could. We took risks, even on the last mountain day, and even if they don’t go well, that experience will be very valuable.”

Even after his great performance in the Tour, there are still doubts about how a still-developing athlete will be able to assimilate this great effort, but it seems clear that France has not only found its great hope for the Grand Tours, but also a rider who, at just 19 years old, has already shown he can compete head-to-head with the best in the world.