"My road ambitions won't stand in the way of my winters" - Paul Seixas's new Decathlon teammate and rising star declares Cyclocross ambitions
Cycling
Aubin Sparfel might be one of the brightest young talents joining the peloton on the road in 2027, but that isn't going to put him off his pursuit of success in Cyclocross. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider steps up to WorldTour next season.
The French rider will become teammate to his peer, Paul Seixas, at Decathlon after riding together at junior level for two seasons. Although he spent two years at the squad's development team, he'll be a professional after a strong 2026 season.
Although he hasn't enjoyed the same meteoric rise to fame, Sparfel has emerged as a top prospect after stage wins at both the Giro Next Gen and Tour de l'Avenir. When called up to the elite team, he's even taken two wins with the professionals - most notably in this year's GP de Wallonie.
Stepping up to professional level proper, Sparfel finds himself on the brink of a promising career on the road. However, right now, he has his mind on something else - mud.
Paul Seixas leads Decathlon CMA CGM
Sparfel wants to chase Cyclocross ambitions
Last weekend, he won the first two rounds of the French Cyclocross cup - the Coupe de France de Cyclo-cross - and then followed that up with a victory in the under-23 race at the Koppenbergcross race on Sunday - besting Giel Lejeune, who had been among the top riders in recent weeks at elite level.
Speaking about his intentions in the discipline, Sparfel hopes to follow in the footsteps of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert by starring on the road as well as racing in Cyclocross during the winter.
"My road ambitions won't stand in the way of my winters in cyclocross," Sparfel told Het Lastse Nieuws.
He added: "I want to continue racing cyclocross throughout my career."
Other riders who have balanced road and cyclocross
Represented by Mathieu's brother, David van der Poel, it's unsurprising that the Frenchman's Cyclocross ambitions are strong. He'll target the upcoming U23 European and World Championships before making his professional road debut next season.
Van der Poel and van Aert aren't the only road riders to balance the two disciplines. Fellow pro Thibau Nys won the elite race at Koppenbergcross and has raced both disciplines in recent seasons.
Tom Pidcock is a former Cyclocross world champion, but confirmed that he will not be racing in the mud this winter, casting doubt on his future in the sport. Van der Poel and van Aert have been the most consistent road riders in combining their ambitions, with only injuries and other commitments interrupting participations in major Cyclocross races over the past decade.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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