"It's very tough" - Megatalent Paul Seixas holds his own against world's best GC riders in Combloux
Cycling
Criterium du Dauphiné stage 6 was a day where we've learnt a lot about the current distribution of power among the Tour de France favourites, but it was also a great day for French cycling fans. A home rider didn't win on Friday, but when was the last time there were three men from France in a top-10 of a mountain stage? And among them perhaps the greatest climbing talent - Paul Seixas - is on his way to a first WorldTour GC top-10.
"Honestly, I had a great feeling," Seixas reacted immediately, obviously satisfied with his performance on the ascent to Combloux. "The team did a great job, we were well positioned all day. I was able to hang onto the right group on the Côte de Mont-Saxonnex and save a bit of energy for the end. And on the last climb, it was all about pedaling."
The team of Tadej Pogacar wasted no time on Cote de Domancy and immediately shattered the group of favourites on the steep section. "UAE got going, they climbed so fast...," Seixas reflects.
He didn't panic and rode with his brain as well as his legs towards the finish line where he arrived only 14 seconds after Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel. "I climbed a bit at my own pace. I started off a bit too fast in Domancy, but after that I managed it well I think. I held on mentally until the finish. It was steep, which suited me quite well. And the stage was short, which was good for me."
This brings the 18-year-old Seixas to an eighth place overall with just two days to go. "I hope that tomorrow (Saturday) will go as well as today. It will be different, I'll hang on like today and we'll see what happens. What am I learning from being with the best? That it's very tough, and that the level is extremely consistent. That's all. I'm discovering the level of the best, it's nice," concluded Paul Seixas.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 11visitors 4
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
- 36 and Ineos have bought a rider on the downward slope. Bring back Dave and Rob who could manage the team. How are Ineos going to win a grand tour with people past their sell by date.paultryan200214-11-2026
- Mmmm would he be making these comments when he was on the richest team when riding. I think not i suspect. If we want money put into the sport we need sponsors who are prepared to put the money in. No disrespect but his team are 2nd or 3rd div in football terms with riders over the hill or 2nd string riders. If i was a sponsor i would be looking at what publicity am i getting back and Tudor really are just making up the numbers really.paultryan200214-11-2026
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. Tratnik's good and Red Bull's better so Tratnik may get what he wants.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. So just saying he wasn't enjoying racing anymore is some kind of explanation? Me saying I don't enjoy his explanation is more explaining than he did.flyer14-11-2026
- Buitrago, was he their best rider in 2026? He's the chief loss for them and Martinez and Tiberi (especially) have to step up or they will be overtaken by Bahrain's younger riders like Omrzel. I'm still somewhat high on Martinez but Tiberi, after showing signs of promise, has fizzled. Bahrain still has a good team but they need to improve and exceed expectations. I'd be happy if Mohoric could manage to return to his better form for maybe one last year at least.flyer14-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment