"I'm not saying it can't happen this year" - Jonas Vingegaard knows he might have to face a top Paul Seixas at the Tour de France

The Tour de France may grow in competition this year with the addition of Paul Seixas. The Frenchman looks quite likely to be at the Grand Boucle and the quality he has been displaying over recent months has convinced Jonas Vingegaard that he is certain to be up there already in the near future.

Vingegaard is starting off his 2026 season at Paris-Nice, three weeks after his initial plan which consisted of the UAE Tour. He is one of the main favourites, although the route lacks the high mountains where he usually performs best in.

However, it is only the first race in a program that will include the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. As Tadej Pogacar did in 2024, the Dane believes this schedule may bring out the best of him, and explains why.

"Every time I rode the Tour and the Vuelta, I felt stronger in the Vuelta. I hope that by riding the Giro, I can now have that feeling in the Tour. Tadej did it in 2024 as well," Vingegaard said to the microphones of RMC Sport this morning. With both Tour and Vuelta in his palmarès; and modest competition at the Giro, it was a logic step for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader.

"I want to beat the best, and I know I've already beaten him twice," he says on Pogacar, whom he's not giving up on closing the gap. This is, despite the injuries that have plagued his past seasons, most notably the 2024 Itzulia Basque Country crash which has happened almost two years ago. "If people knew the consequences of that crash, they would understand why it took so long to get back into shape."

Asked about Paul Seixas, Vingegaard gave his honest opinion, and doesn't underestimate his fellow climber: "He's absolutely one of the best cyclists around right now. He'll definitely be a serious contender in the future [at the Tour de France], although I'm not saying it can't happen this year."

Seixas' solo win at the Faun-Ardèche Classic, second at Strade Bianche behind Tadej Pogacar and also the climbing-time trialing combination he showed at the Volta ao Algarve is not only an impressive display of form, but the confirmation of a talent whose limits can only be dreamed of.

It does seem as if the 19-year old may really have the ability to live up to the extreme hype that is expected of him by the French fans, who dream of having a Tour de France winner again after 40 years.

However Vingegaard, himself a two-time winner of the race, warns that the pressure is going to be sky-high and maintaining a stable headspace is absolutely key going forward: "He needs to try to stay calm amid all that pressure. Although, as a Frenchman, he'll inevitably face a lot of pressure."