"I won’t be disappointed if he’s not there" - Prudhomme on the possibility of 19-year old Paul Seixas already making Tour de France debut in 2026

France has been waiting for one of its riders to win the Tour de France now for 40 years and it still hasn't happened. For the past decade a few riders came a distant second or where thereabouts, most notably Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot, and now the 'home' nation can hope again with Paul Seixas. But in 2026 it is not yet likely, and Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme knows it.

At the route presentation in Paris there was plenty to analyze, and a route that is in many ways different to the 2025 edition of the Grand Boucle. This year Jordan Jegat of TotalEnergies put in an immensely combative performance to climb onto the Top10 on the final competitive stage of the race, hence saving the French from an absence that would truly leave a mark for years to come.

But over the season the rise of Paul Seixas has given hopes again, and quite high ones. The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider has ended the season on incredible form and despite his mere 19 years of age, he rode to third place at the European Championships joining Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, two of the biggest talents he is being compared to often in his age.

But this was not his only result, with the overall victory at the Tour de l'Avenir, 13th at the Kigali World Championships and 7th al Il Lombardia all showcasing a skillset that does not only include a very strong W/Kg ratio, but also great recovery skills, endurance and tactical prowess. Seixas is the real deal and has said in recent interviews that he also aims to win the Tour de France against Pogacar in his prime. Taking into consideration how quickly young riders are developing nowadays, we should see Seixas make a Tour debut in 2027 and he could already be at the level of the top figures by that time.

But this won't happen next year. Seixas had already hinted at that, and was also heavily advised to avoid the Tour as his first three-week race as pressure would be sky-high as would be tension and media pressure, not the ideal circumstances for a rider to develop and learn a new craft.

“I wouldn’t hold it against Paul Seixas if he didn’t ride the Tour in 2026. I also feel he’s a real gem. The people around him, his parents and his team, know much better than I do what’s best for him," Christian Prudhomme said in words to L'Équipe following the race presentation.

"He’s a gifted rider. He’ll be welcome whenever he wants to come, but I won’t be disappointed if he’s not there next year.”