“It would be frustrating to send him to the Tour de France” - Voigt doesn’t believe Seixas should go this season

Paul Seixas has become the breakout name in international cycling after his display at Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

At 19, the French rider from Decathlon CMA CGM Team has shown he can sit at the table with the peloton’s top leaders, even putting the great Tadej Pogacar under pressure until the final kilometres of the race.

After his brilliant wins at Itzulia and La Flèche Wallonne, Seixas finished second in the Belgian Monument, ahead of established stars such as Remco Evenepoel and Egan Bernal. The result has sparked real fever in France at the prospect of finally finding the heir who can end more than forty years without a Tour de France victory.

Even so, experienced voices in the sport urge caution amid this meteoric rise. Jens Voigt, Eurosport analyst and former pro, has not hesitated to call the young Frenchman a once-in-a-generation talent, placing him alongside the early days of legends like Bernard Hinault or Laurent Jalabert.

According to Voigt, Seixas is the first rider in a long time capable of matching Pogacar’s pace on the steepest climbs, stressing that “he is a talent of this century. He is the rightful successor to Tadej Pogacar because he’s the first rider to stay with him for a very long time.”

Even so, the German warns against rushing stages of development and highlights the fragility a rider his age may face when confronting the extreme demands of a Grand Tour without the psychological preparation to handle setbacks.

The debate over his presence at the next Tour de France is on the table, but Voigt is unequivocal. While he believes Seixas should ride to learn the race, he flatly rejects the idea that he should fight for the yellow jersey at this point in his career.

The expert notes that the Décathlon team, despite its fine work, still lacks the infrastructure and experience to protect a leader at the world’s biggest race against squads with massive budgets. In this regard, Voigt states that “the team isn’t ready for that this year. They lack the tactical power and the strength to carry a jersey and defend it. It would be a frustrating experience for the kid.”

Media pressure in France is another risk factor flagged by the veteran German. With the press always hungry for new national heroes, the weight of expectation could backfire on a rider who is only beginning to discover his potential.

Voigt’s recommendation is clear: allow Seixas to go to the Grande Boucle without the obligation of watching the general classification, focusing exclusively on stage wins and daily learning.

For the analyst, the goal must be long term: “I would tell him: kid, go there as a stage hunter, look, learn something, but forget the GC. In two years he’ll be a legitimate contender for the podium or even the overall win.”