“Maybe I could have pushed a bit more at some points”: Paul Seixas surrenders the white jersey but stays firmly in the Tour de France podium hunt
CyclingMonday, 20 July 2026 at 01:00
Paul Seixas lost the white jersey on stage 15 of the Tour de France, but the 19-year-old remains firmly in contention for a podium finish after another solid performance. Although Isaac del Toro gained enough time to take over the best young rider's jersey, the French sensation was encouraged by his ride and backed by emotional support from his father, who watched him race on home roads.
Seixas remains focused on the overall battle
Seixas was dropped with seven kilometers remaining on the climb to Plateau de Solaison as Tadej Pogacar, Isaac del Toro and eventual stage winner Remco Evenepoel accelerated away.
The Decathlon CMA CGM rider eventually finished fourth on the stage, conceding almost one minute to the trio in front and losing the white jersey, but he was satisfied with his overall performance.
“It was really tough. They went very hard from a long way out,” Seixas said in a post-race interview. “I wanted to manage my effort, so I climbed at my own pace.”
The Frenchman felt he may have been able to push harder at certain moments but was pleased with how strongly he finished the climb. “Maybe I could have pushed a bit more at some points. I hesitated too much, but in the end I still finished strongly. It was still a good climb and I’m still in the fight for the general classification, so that’s good.”
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He also admitted an early puncture may have cost him valuable energy. “Overall, I’m happy. I think I put in a good performance, although it wasn’t ideal with the puncture at the start. I probably used a few bullets there. At this level, it’s maybe not about following the very best, but about saving a few precious seconds. It’s a shame, but that’s how it is.”
Despite losing the white jersey, Seixas took confidence from how well he has handled his first Grand Tour so far. “I’ll remember that I’ve managed to stay strong until now and that I’ve recovered well. I hope it will be the same during the third week.”
“Of course, it was a special day and I suffered a lot. I did what I could. I was hoping for a better result, but that’s life. Sometimes there are riders who are stronger, and today they were stronger, so congratulations to them.”
Proud father watches from home roads
Among the proudest spectators on Plateau de Solaison was Seixas' father, Emmanuel, who followed the stage from the family's home region near Magland.
Before celebrating his son's ride, however, Emmanuel admitted that the peloton's mood changed dramatically after Jonas Vingegaard's crash. “We experienced it very intensely. We shared the suffering when we saw Vingegaard crash. It made us very sad because you can’t forget something like that, and we hope he’s okay.”
The family has a special connection to the final climb, with Paul having trained there several times before the Tour. “We don’t live far away. We’re from Salanches, more precisely Magland. Paul has climbed it several times, and we have family nearby, so it was magnificent.”
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Emmanuel was particularly impressed by how maturely his son approached such a demanding stage. “He rode a really great race. He fought with the weapons he has, and they had a very good stage. It was incredible.”
“We’re amazed that he’s reached the second week and is finishing it like this. We admire what the team is doing and what Paul is doing, and we’ll see what comes next.”
He also praised the composure Seixas has shown throughout the race despite the enormous expectations now surrounding him.
“What’s also impressive is how well he manages every aspect of the race, including the pressure. He never seems to go beyond his limits; he manages everything very well. I think he has a plan and he sticks to it. If people don’t put too much pressure on him, maybe he can go all the way. You never know. Paul has always made us dream.”
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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