Seixas casts doubt on his participation in the 2027 Tour de France and does not rule out targeting the Giro d’Italia
The possibility that Paul Seixas will not compete in the 2027 Tour de France is starting to take shape. After his team left this option open, now it is the rider himself who acknowledges that he still does not know if he will be at the start line. His main goal for the next season will be the World Championship in Haute-Savoie, and the Giro d'Italia appears as a real alternative.
The 2027 World Championship would be above the Tour de France for Seixas
Just a few days ago, after the presentation of the route for the 2027 Tour de France, we already hinted that Paul Seixas's participation was in doubt. At that time, Decathlon CMA CGM warned that the presence of their young leader was not guaranteed, despite the route seeming particularly favorable for his characteristics.
Now it has been Seixas himself who has confirmed that uncertainty. During an interview granted on Monday, October 26, to the program Super Moscato Show on RMC, the Frenchman acknowledged that he has not yet defined his calendar and is even considering swapping the Tour for the Giro d'Italia.
"I am not yet one hundred percent sure about starting the 2027 Tour de France," he stated.
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The explanation lies in the calendar. The 2027 World Championships will be held in Haute-Savoie, and the elite men's road race will take place on August 29 in Sallanches, a town particularly linked to the childhood of the French rider.
"It's at my grandparents' house. I've been waiting for this for years. I hope to be ready. What is certain is that I will participate", explained Seixas during the interview.
At just 20 years old and after a season in which he finished fourth in the Tour de France and won Il Lombardia, the Decathlon CMA CGM rider wants to prepare for the World Championship with the utmost guarantees. This requires carefully studying which grand tour fits best into his season.
The problem is that the 2027 Tour de France will finish on July 25, leaving barely five weeks between the arrival in Paris and the World Championship. A timeframe in which he would have to recover from three weeks of competition and complete his specific preparation for the world event.
The Giro d'Italia, which takes place in May, would allow for a different distribution of competition, recovery, and training periods.
Seixas even considers winning the Giro d'Italia
The striking thing about his statements is that Seixas does not view the Giro solely as a preparation race. The Frenchman already sees himself capable of tackling a grand tour with significant objectives and acknowledges that a possible victory in Italy is also in his calculations.
"Winning the Giro is something I can include in my thoughts," he admitted.
Although there is still no decision, he made it clear that the choice will be made jointly with his coaches and that he does not intend to give up fighting for a great result.
"We will see with our coaches what the best option will be. Whatever grand tour I start, I will have great ambitions. We need to manage to combine those two objectives", he explained.
The route of the Giro d'Italia 2027 will be presented on November 3 in Rome, so Seixas and his team will then have essential information to compare both races.
A Tour de France that is also difficult to reject
The situation has a particularity. The route of the 2027 Tour de France seems to offer many opportunities for Seixas, with 71 kilometers of individual time trial and numerous stages where he could take advantage of his ability to perform both in the mountains and on explosive terrains.
Moreover, the tenth stage will finish precisely in Sallanches, the same venue that will host the road race of the World Championship a few weeks later.
"The Tour passes a lot through Haute-Savoie, near my grandparents' house. Honestly, I really want to do it", he admitted.