Paul Seixas sent 'traumatic' Tour de France warning as French ex-pro recalls pressure of Grand Tour

A former French cyclist has described the pressure and demands of riding the Tour de France as 'traumatic'. Anthony Perez rode the Grand Tour six times, and issued what could be interpreted as a warning to teenage sensation Paul Seixas ahead of his debut this summer.

Perez, retired last year after ten season with the Cofidis team, knows what it's like to soak up all the atmosphere, fanfare and relentless noise of the roads during the Tour de France, and has admitted that the only respite is on mountain descents where fans aren't permitted to gather.

"The Tour de France is so traumatic. You hear people yelling at you for five, six hours. The only time you can breathe a little is on the descents of the mountain passes," Perez told La Dépêche.

A travelling circus that traverses France over 21 stages, many riders have opened up about the non-stop frenzy of media, fans, team meetings, and of course, high-pressure riding in the Tour de France. Perez found himself so encapsulated in the bubble to the point he saw the peloton when he tried to sleep.

"As soon as I closed my eyes, I was in the peloton. You feel the pressure... I had three, four, five interviews every morning. You spend a lot of time off the bike. The same goes for rest days."

The interview comes after Decathlon CMA CGM confirmed that 19-year-old Paul Seixas, widely regarded as the new great hope in French cycling, will take to the start in July. After podium finishes in Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège this season, as well as key wins at La Flèche Wallonne and Itzulia Basque Country, the teenager hopes to strike while in form at his Tour debut.

The decision stirred debate around the intensity and pressure that comes with the premier Grand Tour, especially being a French rider with growing hype around his growth and potential. However, Seixas definitively clarified his intentions this summer.

“I’m truly thrilled to announce that I’ll be competing in Tour upcoming Tour France," Seixas said in a team statement after releasing a heartwarming video of him telling his grandparents of his planned participation.

"It’s been my childhood dream, something I’ve often imagined, and now it’s just around the corner. I’m only 19 years old, but as I’ve said before, age is neither a barrier nor an excuse. This decision, made in consultation with the team management, was carefully considered and developed collectively over the past few days.

"My results since the start of the season have given me a lot of confidence; I feel ready, and I’ll have ambitious goals. It is not in my nature, nor is it my conception of cycling, to compete in the Tour France with the sole aim of learning the ropes; I will be aiming for the best possible finish."