Why France ‘banned’ Paul Seixas from competing in cyclocross

The 2026–2027 cyclocross season is already underway, and all the signs suggest that Paul Seixas will continue to stay away from a discipline in which he once became French champion. Although there has been no official confirmation of his plans for this winter, the reasons behind the recommendation that he step away from cyclocross remain just as relevant as ever — even more so following his spectacular progress on the road.

Why Paul Seixas was advised to quit cyclocross

In late 2025, François Trarieux, who had worked with Seixas in the French cyclocross team, explained in an interview with Ouest-France how he had had to convince the young rider to put one of his great passions on hold.

The story dated back to January 2024, when Seixas had just been crowned French junior cyclocross champion and was preparing for the World Championships in Tábor. After racing the Benidorm World Cup, he crashed during a training session in Spain and fractured his left wrist. The injury ruled him out of the World Championships and hastened a decision that had already been under consideration.

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According to Trarieux, the problem was not Seixas's physical ability, which allowed him to compete with the best, but certain technical shortcomings that became particularly apparent on muddy courses.

The coach recalled the conversation he had with him after the injury: “I know how much you love cyclocross, but given your level on the road, you have to give it up, at least for a while, because you risk getting injured more and more often.”

Trarieux admitted that it had been a difficult conversation, but a necessary one. Seixas continued to follow the races of his former national team-mates and remained just as passionate about cyclocross, although he had agreed to stop competing in the discipline.

His breakthrough on the road makes a cyclocross return even less likely

Since those comments in 2025, Seixas's sporting fortunes have changed considerably. The Frenchman has just completed the 2026 season, finishing fourth in his first Tour de France and claiming his first Monument with victory at Il Lombardia at just 20 years of age.

In light of these results, the advice to avoid the risks associated with cyclocross appears to carry even more weight than it did a year ago. Seixas has become one of France's great hopes of ending the country's Tour de France drought, which stretches back to Bernard Hinault's victory in 1985.

That does not mean he has ruled out competing in other disciplines. In fact, just one day after winning Il Lombardia, Seixas surprised everyone by taking part in the Roc d'Azur CIC MTB race, where he finished 66th. It was a one-off appearance in which he enjoyed riding a mountain bike, while taking a cautious approach on the more technical sections.

But taking part in an occasional MTB event is one thing; committing to a cyclocross season is quite another, with high-intensity races, obstacles and conditions that can increase the risk of crashes.

For now, Seixas has not announced any plans to return to cyclocross for the 2026–2027 season. And although Trarieux's advice was never intended to mean a permanent retirement from the discipline, all indications are that the Frenchman will continue to prioritise his road racing preparation — at least while his progress continues to fuel the expectations France has placed on him.