"I suffered so much, more than ever in my life" - Paul Seixas takes first WorldTour top-10

Paul Seixas had a difficult task in front of himself coming into the final stage of Criterium du Dauphiné 2025. Sitting sixth overall, he had to defend his spot in the GC against a pack of riders ready to exploit any sign of weakness. And unfortunately for the Frenchman, such moment came at a crucial moment.

As Tobias Halland Johannessen launched to potentially improve his 5th place in the GC, Seixas further behind was a victim to a fall that brought down several of the GC contenders including the 18-year-old. He got back on his bike rather quickly, but at that moment the group of favourites was long gone and that meant a long pursuit for Seixas.

"I suffered so much, more than ever in my life," the young Frenchman said after arriving to Lac Cenis. Ultimately, he would lose one and a half minute to duo Vingegaard-Pogacar, enough for Enric Mas and Matteo Jorgenson to pass Seixas in the GC, who therefore wraps up his first Dauphiné in 8th overall.

There will be more than enough time to reflect on his first big WorldTour GC bid, but there'll be certainly more positives than negatives after this Dauphiné. "I learned a lot, I'm so happy to finish 8th. It was a crazy week, it's a dream, I wouldn't have thought I'd do this, thanks to the team. Now I'm going to go to sleep," he concludes.