Paul Seixas, the 17-year old climbing sensation, could be on his way to jump directly from juniors to the World Tour

Cycling
Sunday, 08 September 2024 at 14:45
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Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale have had a tremendous season and are seeing some of their young riders develop very well into climbers. They have in their junior team Paul Seixas, one of the biggest prospects in the current youth ranks, but they might not be able to keep him as the World Tour teams are hot on his track.
The Frenchman has just won the Giro della Luginiana and off the back of the triumph, he was asked from Bici.Pro on what his future will look like from next year onwards (his first as an under-23 rider): "I don't know yet what I will do in the future, I will definitely race less in cross (he also races cyclocross often, ed.) since I will move up to under 23. I want to focus as much as possible on the road because the commitment will be greater."
Decathlon will certainly want to make a bid to keep him in future years but more and more the top teams search younger and younger in the ranks. 18-year old Pablo Torres reportedly refused an offer from INEOS Grenadiers to join UAE Team Emirates; and fellow climbing supertalent Jarno Widar is also said to be leaving Lotto Dstny's development team with several teams trying to buy out his contract.
For Seixas, the decision isn't made. "I haven't decided yet whether I will continue with Decathlon AG2R or not, it will be something we will see after the world championship. It's a difficult situation that I can't talk about now."
But there is still a month of season left to race where a lot can be achieves. "First, however, I will stay at home for a day and then leave for Belgium since I will be racing both on the road and in the time trial at the European Championships. Once the continental commitment is over, it will be the turn of the world championships and I will focus everything on that since it is much more suited to my characteristics".

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