"No excuses" - Paul Seixas on how he will respond to Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes crash and which injuries are affecting him before stage 8
Cycling
Paul Seixas is offering no excuses as he takes to the start for stage 8 of the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. The Decathlon CMA CGM star has it all to do if he's to come out victorious in a final day general classification battle, but Saturday's brutal crash and fightback have left him with battle scars.
The 19-year-old starts with visible bandages and plenty of questions as fans wonder if he'll come flying out of the blocks in a 120km mountain feast in France. However, Seixas insisted he'll have to wait and see how he feels once the road goes uphill, cooling speculation that he will be more aggressive on the last day of racing.
With visible wounds on his hips, back and elbows after finishing stage 7, Seixas says he recovered well and crucially enjoyed a good sleep overnight. However, he starts without rouleurs Daan Hoole and Stefan Bissegger on Sunday as his Decathlon team is down to four riders.
"Yeah, I'm happy to be back on the bike and to feel okay to ride today," Seixas said before the stage. "I slept well this night and I hope everything goes well today and I can pass through the day okay."
Seixas explains injuries he expects to feel on stage
When asked about his injuries, Seixas explained that holding onto the bike - particularly on descents - is the challenge. However, with multiple high mountains, he faces three long and potentially painful descents during the stage.
"The problem is I have some haematoma. I don't know how to say it in English, but in the downhill, it's like you have some pain in the arms. So it's really difficult to hang on the bike, but it's okay. I did it yesterday, I can do it today."
Many expect an angry Seixas to emerge on the Col du Pre opener and potentially put rivals under pressure early. For Seixas, he sees no reason to be angry as he reiterated that the approach will be to wait and see.
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Seixas added: "You don't have to be angry when it's your fault. Of course, I will do my best today and no excuses. Of course, it's a stage that on a normal day I would love, but I will see today how I feel."
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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