"I can't say after what I've seen in the last few days that he impresses me" - Paul Seixas no longer surprising teammate Tiesj Benoot at Tour de France
CyclingSunday, 19 July 2026 at 11:11
Paul Seixas is no longer blowing away his Tour de France teammates, according to Tiesj Benoot. The Decathlon CMA CGM sensation has taken the plaudits after another strong performance in the mountains as he continues to hold his own in the general classification.
At 19-years-old, those closest to him have been surprised to see his growing maturity and ability to deal with the stress and fatigue that comes with La Grand Boucle. This week, Seixas surpassed his longest continuous race days as the Tour rolled on.
Not only is Seixas holding his own, but he has been calling for his teammates to work for him in recent stages. Versatile helper Benoot thinks that he has improved since the first big mountain stage last week.
"He's been saying for a few days that he feels good. It's better than at the Tourmalet, I think," Benoot said after the stage.
Noting the difficulty of the heat and intensity of the first week, Benoot believes the teenager has grown into the race. Aiming for the podium, it's so far so good for both the team and rider.
Seixas aims for the podium
"The first part of the race was very difficult. There were two small valleys in the second half of the stage. It was the right time to communicate. [...] He told me this morning that he felt good, and before the foot of the last climb as well.
"We continued with the plan to ride hard to try and gain places in the general classification. We also know, of course, that it's good for Tadej Pogacar, but we're here to try and finish on the podium, and we did a good job."
Benoot put Seixas' rapid development into context as he noted that his junior World Championships triumph coincided with Benoot's eighth appearance at elite level. Benoot became accustomed to the surprises of his development, but not anymore.
Seixas development no longer surprises Benoot
He added: "When Paul became junior world champion, I was already competing in my eighth World Championships. Everything is new for him; he's learning and adapting very quickly. He's exactly where he needs to be.
"This is his first major race; until now, the longest he's done was seven or eight days. We don't know how the third week will go. He hasn't had a single moment of weakness. In fact, he impresses us every day. I can't say after what I've seen in the last few days that he impresses me."
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Benoot insists that Seixas' level also adds oxygen to the fight for the Decathlon riders. With a horse in the race, they have extra incentive to battle UAE Team Emirates - XRG's dominance.
"He was already there last Tuesday (stage 10 at Le Lioran) and on the Tourmalet. It's also good for me as a teammate; otherwise, I'd spend all day getting dropped by UAE. Now I'm happy to be doing something."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- I guerss you really don't have reading comprehension to understand sarcasm ! Look it up clown !frieders320-07-2026
- Your 'god' got beat today by the rider you despise more than Jonas ! LOL !frieders320-07-2026
- Tadeg did comment that the stage wasn't as hard as the previous stage since once the break formed it was cruise mode to the last climb. So not a 'wearing' stage in that sense where the Alp stages will be with multiple big climbs which will probably be Remco's kryptonitefrieders320-07-2026
- ton of people on this site trash lance any chance they get and now we see that those same people that trash lance are against doping controls that comply with the ruleswhkman20-07-2026
- I'd say as hid last race it is unlikely but imminent retirement is quite possible
Rafionain-Glas20-07-2026 - I didn't like the last climb. Pog has now gifted 2 stages he could easily have won. Ok, he really likes IDT but this is the Tour. He's just playing around, amazing to see someone so dominant. Don't think I'll see another one like him before I check out.Santiago20-07-2026
- If you put together several interviews, the clues are there to suggest it. He's spoken about quitting professional cycling over the winter (yes, he said he was enjoying it again after a change in program). He's spoken about "completing" cycling after winning the Giro and not being sure what else he has to do/prove. I think several stages of this Tour made him realize defeating Tadej is unlikely. That near-death crash a few years ago is still there... a bad crash is bound to bring up some memories. Jonas has said time and time again that his family is #1 and how much he dislikes being away from them for cycling/training. He's also been doubling down on his post-cycling career with a rather substancial real estate portfolio in Denmark. Sure, he has a contract and a good salary to go with it - but that's more time away from his family while he could easily live comfortably if he retired tomorrow. I hope I'm wrong; I'd love to see him chase more races .. just saying it's a possibility.JBlake20-07-2026
- You're probably the only one. There was no way that Pogačar would have intentionally passed up a chance to win. He looked easy because he couldn't really sprint after the work he'd done.Rafionain-Glas20-07-2026
- except pogacar was being drug tested according to the rules, not harassed by Australian teenie bopperswhkman20-07-2026
- The title portrays it as though he sacrificed his own safety for Pogačar. In reality, had he hit Pogačar, they'd both have crashed, so for Torito to crash on his own was the obvious decision to make.Rafionain-Glas20-07-2026
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