"It would be the wrong thing to do": Sean Kelly warns against sending Paul Seixas to the Tour de France

After an incredible string of early-season results, fans and media are already begging to see 19-year-old Paul Seixas race the Tour de France this summer, a possibility that might be closer than ever. However, cycling legend Sean Kelly is pumping the brakes on this hype train, warning that throwing the young Decathlon CMA CGM Team rider into the world's biggest race too soon could be a massive mistake.

Even before his amazing second-place finish behind Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche last weekend, French fans were incredibly excited about Seixas, and for a good reason. Last month, he took a solo victory at the Faun-Ardèche Classic, which led famous team manager Marc Madiot to call him "the chosen one" on the radio. Earlier, he also got his first professional victory at Volta ao Algarve, where he beat Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida.

Back in October, the teenager confirmed he would ride a three-week Grand Tour in 2026, but he did not say which one. Now, with his stock rising so fast, everyone is wondering if he is ready for the Tour de France.

Sean Kelly, a cycling legend who won nine Monument classics and five Tour de France stages, shared his thoughts after Strade Bianche. While he praised the young rider's talent, he made his opinion on the Tour de France very clear.

"I'm aware that his strong early-season form immediately raises the question of whether he should be racing at the Tour de France," Kelly wrote.

He noted that history is full of young French riders who struggled with the massive expectations of their home country. "The French press and the cycling fanbase will naturally put pressure on him given his current trajectory," Kelly added. "I'm firmly against the idea, though."

Kelly urged the Decathlon CMA CGM team to be careful with their new star. The pressure and the media circus at the Tour de France can ruin a young rider. "It would be the wrong thing to do to send Seixas to the Tour this year, and I hope that Decathlon CMA CGM have patience."

Some people suggest sending a young rider to a Grand Tour for just one week to learn, but Kelly believes Seixas is too competitive for that strategy to work safely. "When you put a guy like that into the Tour, with his character of racing, he's going to get into the action. You can't send a rider into a race for a week to gain experience," Kelly explained.

Instead of the Tour de France, Kelly believes Seixas should focus on his current schedule. The 19-year-old is set to race the Itzulia Basque Country stage race, followed by the difficult one-day Ardennes Classics: La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. At Liège, he will get a rematch against Pogacar.