“I’ve been watching it since I was twelve” – Paul Seixas ready to face Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche
Cycling
The 2026 season is confirming what many had already suspected: Paul Seixas is no longer just a promising talent. At only 19 years old, the French rider has emerged as one of the biggest revelations of the year and now faces one of the toughest challenges in cycling: taking on Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche.
The Decathlon CMA CGM rider made a major statement at the Volta ao Algarve, where he won a stage ahead of Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida, before finishing second overall behind the Spaniard.
He then confirmed his strong form at the Faun Ardeche Classic, where he appeared clearly stronger than his rivals and rode to victory.
His next test comes at Strade Bianche, a race famous for its toughness, its gravel sectors and its explosive character. It is a course that appears well-suited to Seixas’ abilities.
Seixas eager to experience Strade Bianche
Seixas made his feelings clear ahead of the race. “Taking part in Strade Bianche is something I’m really looking forward to. It’s one of my favourite races. I’ve been watching it on television since I was twelve or thirteen years old, and I can’t wait to experience it for myself."
“When I was in the U19 category, I competed twice in the Eroica Nations Cup, which is reserved for young riders and includes several gravel sectors. I really enjoyed it because it was a bit like cyclocross. I think it’s a race that could suit my profile, but the startlist is impressive. The goal, with the help of my teammates, is to see where I stand compared to them.”
The French rider is clearly excited, but also realistic. He knows he will be lining up against some of the biggest names in the peloton, starting with Pogacar, who has become the benchmark rider on this type of terrain.
Seixas has already captured the imagination of French fans. The question now is whether, unlike many compatriots before him, he can cope with the intense media attention in a country that has waited four decades for a new Tour de France winner.
For now, the approach remains step by step. But there is little doubt that Seixas is a rider with enormous potential and all the tools needed to succeed at the highest level of the sport.
Paul Seixas wins Faun Ardeche Classic 2026
Decathlon CMA CGM lineup for Strade Bianche
| Rider |
| Pierre Gautherat |
| Noa Isidore |
| Antoine Lhote |
| Jordan Labrosse |
| Paul Lapeira |
| Gregor Muhlberger |
| Paul Seixas |
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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