Paul Seixas can make history at the Worlds: a 92-year-old record is in his sights
CyclingWednesday, 16 September 2026 at 11:45
Paul Seixas could etch his name into cycling’s history books if he conquers the 2026 Montréal World Championships. The Frenchman arrives at the 27th September showpiece already one of the peloton’s brightest stars despite his youth, but a win in Canada would bring something rarer still: becoming the youngest world champion in history.
Seixas is chasing a record that has stood for more than 90 years. Belgian Karel Kaers won the world title in 1934 at 20 years and 76 days, setting a benchmark no rider has surpassed since. Not even the recent waves of prodigious talents reshaping the sport have managed to lower that mark.
Now, Paul Seixas stands on the brink. The Montréal Worlds take place on 27th September, and Seixas will line up at just 20 years and 3 days.
If he triumphs in the road race, he would instantly become the youngest world champion of all time, bettering the Kaers record by 73 days.
The scale of the potential record underlines the Frenchman’s extraordinary season. It would not just be about winning the rainbow jersey at an exceptionally young age. Seixas would erase a mark that has endured since 1934, when Kaers pulled on the stripes at barely 20.
And he would do so in a year where he has shown he can already go toe to toe with the best riders on the planet.
Paul Seixas was second at the GP de Montréal
Paul Seixas, a superstar at just 19
Seixas’s 2026 has been outstanding. The Frenchman won the overall at Itzulia, backed by three stage victories. He added wins at La Flèche Wallonne, the Faun-Ardèche Classic, and a stage at the Volta ao Algarve.
But his top results go beyond victories. Seixas also finished second at Strade Bianche and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, two major Classics only behind Tadej Pogacar; and placed fourth overall at the Tour de France on his much awaited debut.
All this came despite a tough crash at the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, which forced him to abandon and affected his Tour build-up. Far from derailing him, he still rode into Paris in fourth place.
With these results, Seixas has cemented himself among the sport’s marquee names despite being at a very early stage of his professional career.
Seixas reaches Worlds after a Montréal podium
The Frenchman also has a fresh reference point for the World Championships. Seixas already raced the GP de Montréal on the same circuit the Worlds will use, albeit over a slightly shorter distance.
He finished second there. Only Isaac del Toro beat him, outsprinting Seixas at the line. The Mexican thus profiles as one of the Frenchman’s key rivals for the rainbow jersey, though the Worlds will pose an even sterner test over the full distance.
Seixas, therefore, knows he has the legs to contend on this course. Now he must reproduce that level in a much longer race and, above all, outgun a star-studded peloton.
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The fight for Montréal will be fierce. Alongside Isaac del Toro, Seixas will face some of the sport’s biggest names. Remco Evenepoel, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock, and Enric Mas headline the contenders for gold.
The circuit, familiar from the GP de Montréal, suits riders who can handle repeated efforts and keep enough punch to decide a race of this type. Seixas has already shown he can do that, and his runner-up in Canada is one of the best possible guideposts before the big day.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- ok...PogiSloFans16-09-2026
- Hahahaha lol father as arrogant as son. Remco would have finished 3rd. Has he ever beaten Vin in a grand tour. Great rider for classics and mini stage races but his PR staff need to start earning their pay he is still a total tool and not very well liked within the peleton.paultryan200216-09-2026
- provided that pogi will (need to) come back to the vuelta in 2027 to finish what he started, the vuelta will ultimately have benefited from his crashout this year ... they get to have him as a headliner 2 years in a row!Ketterechts16-09-2026
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- like father like sonmij16-09-2026
- lucky guy. good for him for signing the big contract. surprised IPT coughed up the money considering the extent of it.mij16-09-2026
- vos is going for gravelmij16-09-2026
- wow 50 is insane. good for him.mij16-09-2026
- I mean, probably not - but this WC is going to be about ten guys who all seem capable in the moment. A real unknown outcome, I cannot wait.wrsty16-09-2026
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