He's French, 29 and a domestique for Paul Seixas - The rider who saw eye to eye with Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France
Cycling
Paul Seixas and Decathlon CMA CGM Team are aiming high at the Tour de France over the coming years. They can both depend on a major climber who has reached his prime as he nears his 30's: Nicolas Prodhomme, the rider whom Tadej Pogacar locked eyes with at this year's Tour de France.
Prodhomme is a rider who has had a development that is more similar to the traditional figures in the peloton. He has turned professional with Decathlon CMA CGM Team (then named AG2R Citroën Team) back in 2021, only a month away from turning 24 years old.
The French rider, born in L'Aigle, had spent several years at the World Tour team's development program, but in 2020 headed away from it, racing for the French amateur team VC Villfranche Beaujolais. That year, the pandemic disrupted the year of most riders, but Prodhomme's talent hadn't gone unnoticed, and despite the lack of racing he was given a trainee stint with Cofidis. He had won a non-UCI race, but his in his four outings with the team, his performances were not unnoticed.
Decathlon did not want to let their homegrown talent sign for a rival team, an signed him into the 2021 season. A climber, that has aways been the terrain in which he stood out. A seventh place at the Volta ao Algarve's Alto do Malhão - behind several W52 riders who would be suspended for doping only a year later - would assure him as a rider capable of leading in the World Tour structure, but his position remained that of a regular domestique.
He made his debut at the Vuelta a España that year, whilst in 2022 he then raced both Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. This year, he was actually one of the busiest riders in the peloton, not only racing two Grand Tours, but featuring plenty races before and inbetween, as he raced a whole 80 days.
Nicolas Prodhomme during his early years as a Decathlon talent
Prodhomme breaks out as a major climbing talent
In 2023, the Frenchman continued in his vital role at the team, supporting its ambitions at both Giro and Vuelta, as well as banking in another 77 race days. He featured on the podium of the Tour de l'Ain when given the opportunity to lead the team, a race that has been a talisman throughout his career.
In 2024, Prodhomme's level started to pierce through the big names. At the 2024 Clásica Jaén Paraiso Interior, the Frenchman featured in the day's breakaway alongside Oier Lazkano. The Spaniard - since suspended as well - won the race, whilst Prodhomme rode with Jan Tratnik, Tim Wellens and his teammate Bastien Tronchon - all proven winners at this day and age - to finish fifth. The race's difficulty and off-road aspect meant that Prodhomme's performance left a permanent sign of potential.
The Frenchman had a consistent run of performances all throughout the spring, and later on earned a Tour de France debut, aiding Felix Gall - a pure climber. But it was in 2025 where he would really have his breakthrough as a pro rider. Another step was taken, as at the Tour of the Alps, he joined the newly-turned pro Paul Seixas in the breakaway of the final stage, and both riders crossed the finish line together.
Prodhomme took the stage win, with Seixas arguing that a first win meant much for his more experienced teammate - with Seixas being touted already as a future major talent, but nothing compared to the level he would reach within 12 months. Prodhomme's victory in Lienz, at age 28, opened the flood gates for what would be a stellar year.
Nicolas Prodomme only took his first pro win at the 2025 Tour of the Alps, next to an 18-year old Paul Seixas
Prodhomme would return to the Giro d'Italia, where he had freedom to chase stage wins. He was fifth on stages 8 and 15; but on stage 19 he struck gold. Not a victory out of luck or timing, the Frenchman won one of the most difficult days of the entire Giro in the Valle d'Aosta, featuring three mammoth climbs.
Prodhomme held off the likes of Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz with his solo attack in the mountains, whilst Antonio Tiberi was the only rider from the original breakaway who was able to finish within five minutes of the Frenchman. A pure climber, he found his ideal terrain in the long Alpine ascents. However, in the Pyrenees he would do the same...
Only weeks after finishing the Giro, Prodhomme took to the start of La Route d'Occitanie, and added Luz Ardiden as the first climb in which he's taken a professional win. He obliterated the competition on the race's queen stage, putting in almost two minutes on his closest competitor Davide Piganzoli.
Two months later, he would win stage 2 of the Tour de l'Ain ahead of Cian Uijtdebroeks, his fifth professional win. On the queen stage, the Visma rider raided the race on the Grand Colombier, and Prodhomme was only able to finish second in the overall classification.
His sixth would come only nine days later, as he attacked La Polynormande and took the win with a long-range move - his first win in a French classic.
Prodhomme takes on Pogacar at the Tour de France
Prodhomme's start to the 2026 season was not luxurious, and didn't come with the results that his late 2025 run promised. Nevertheless, after the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Decathlon was certain that the then 29-year old was a proper pick for the Tour de France. For the first time, the team headed into the Tour with Paul Seixas, a talent whose limits were at the time unknown - but victory tally had already grown to seven since awarding Prodhomme with his win at the Tour of the Alps only just over 12 months prior.
Seixas rode to fourth at his maiden Tour, and much of it due to Prodhomme's support. In the Pyrenees, but specially in the Alps, the Frenchman was often the last man standing alongside the 19-year old, who was surrounded by Tour de France winners, World and Olympic Champions, and more. His constant presence in the GC groups meant that, despite not featuring once in a breakaway - where his direct rivals would often gain time - he finished 16th in the overall classification.
On stage 20, the queen stage of the race, Prodhomme led the GC group on the Col de Sarenne, preparing an attack from Seixas. His pace at the start of very high, and notably Tadej Pogacar - who had been leading the group - did not follow him. Prodhomme then slowed down to return to the group, leading to the iconic moment in which the yellow jersey stared down the French climber.
Read also
Pogacar on Prodhomme: “Within the team we had already been jokingly calling him ‘Pantani’ because he always seemed to have really good legs for the final climb. He always accelerated. He always stretched the group out, especially over the first 500 meters of the climb. 🧵⬇️ https://t.co/ylaprgK6UD
— Dharmashhh (@dharmashhh) August 2, 2026
Prodhomme would then return to the front of the group once again, but with Seixas in the wheel. After the stage, Prodhomme spoke about the moment that caught a lot of attention:
"I felt he wanted to show he was willing to work with him, simply to prevent me from getting past and trying to make the race harder. But that was our strategy, that was the way it was played. There was nothing malicious, no intimidation; he was perhaps simply surprised that I did that".
Heading into 2027, the French rider may see his level rise even further, and become an even more important piece of the Decathlon structure.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Right on. The more the merrier.Occam13-11-2026
- Remember, Del Toro struggled in this Tour. He is great, no doubt about that, but comparing him to a four time gt winner is absurd at this point. He has the potential. We'll have to see how he develops.awp13-11-2026
- what did Jonas gift and to whom? just curious, haven’t heard about this.mij13-11-2026
- You don't gift grand tours as it has come to light that Jonas has come to regret doing such.
Front24213-11-2026 - Exactly you said it urslf - he outclimbed del toro by 19 sec. 19SEC and you say hes alot better than del toro still lol? And can also do the same where del toro did that to jonas even and del toro dauphine numbers better than jonas all year so why this hard whats the issue its super easy stuff - del toro wasnt that before. Then factor in both their trajectory the last years and the answer is self explonatory like i said. Nothing against jonas like many do but the typing is no the wall and so stupidly easy as its so self explanatory now. Have a good daymiguel13-11-2026
- Dirty ex doperFront24213-11-2026
- As far as points go they need to take a page or ten out of the Astana playbook!Lozza13-11-2026
- Ah, seems he’s been busy elsewhere! 😆Lozza13-11-2026
- Where is he when you need him!? Wake up man! You’re missing an opportunity!Lozza13-11-2026
- A very true statement made by Johan Bruyneel: "We don’t know for sure about Jonas, because he dropped out of the Tour de France, but he would never have come close to Pogacar. Maybe he would have finished second. He won the Giro in dominant fashion and the Vuelta the year before, but Visma wants to win the Tour." That's exactly what I've been saying the last six months. If Pogi races with Jonas, the most he can be is second... UNLESS... Pogi crashes out or makes a BIG mistake, which is not likely to happen. Either Bruyneel thinks the way I do or he reads my posts. Ad acta!!!PogiSloFans13-11-2026
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