"Personally, I might not have let him ride the Tour at only 19" - Lefevere wouldn't have brought Seixas to Tour de France despite impressive showing
CyclingTuesday, 28 July 2026 at 17:45
Paul Seixas may have impressed Patrick Lefevere at the 2026 Tour de France as he rode to a fourth place overall and held his own against the world's best, but the former Soudal-QuickStep boss still admits he wouldn't have brought him to the race.
At 19-year-old, the Frenchman made his debut at the race after Decathlon opted to bring him to La Grand Boucle amid a media frenzy following his sensational start to the 2026 season.
Seixas took wins at Faun Ardeche Classic, Volta ao Algarve and podiums at Strade Bianche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, but it was a dominant general classification victory at Itzulia Basque Country and La Fleche Wallone that meant his stock went through the roof.
Seixas rode a remarkable race as he settled into the role of podium contender, battling Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel on high mountains and taking a fourth place overall.
However, Lefevere warned that other steps in his development must not be skipped and that there is no rush in helping him reach his potential.
Paul Seixas ends the Tour de France in fourth place
Lefevere would not have brought Seixas to Tour
"I'm very impressed. But personally, I might not have let him ride the Tour at only 19," Lefevere told Cyclism'Actu.
"We saw that he started to falter towards the end, which is perfectly normal. He'll be a great rider, but we mustn't rush things. We mustn't skip any steps."
Asked if the Tour was a success, Lefevere noted his difficulties in the final stages but ultimately concluded that the Frenchman enjoyed a strong debut.
He said: "For me, yes. Finishing fourth in the Tour de France at 19 is exceptional. He suffered in the final days, but he had a very good Tour."
He wondered if Isaac del Toro's Tour would have finished different if not for teammate Tadej Pogacar's assistance. After a white jersey and third place finish, del Toro has now finished on the podium of two grand tours.
Read also
Lefevere on del Toro and Evenepoel
Lefevere said: "I think so. But we mustn't forget that Tadej helped his teammate enormously. Without him, Del Toro probably would never have made it onto the podium and he likely wouldn't have won his first stage."
His former rider Remco Evenepoel put in one of his career-best performances, effectively ending any debate on whether he can be deemed a general classification contender at a grand tour. Lefevere insisted that a Tour de France win is not out of his reach, especially given his relative youth compared to Pogacar.
He added: "I must admit that I wasn't entirely convinced he was a rider capable of competing for the overall classification over three weeks. But he proved us wrong. Tadej is human, despite everything. Remco is two years younger; he needs to keep progressing and persevering."
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.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yeah benefiting from someone else racing isn't a "gift". It's literally the sport of cycling and the physics of aerodynamics. Sure a two man break with Pog and MvdP had a much better chance than MvdP alone. That doesn't mean Pogi didn't want the win before he was totally cooked. No gift here.mobk28-07-2026
- Are you serious?MajorPayne28-07-2026
- We all knew the story of one guy who cheated death to triumph over an EPO-fueled peloton while riding clean was a big lie. Thank goodness the first guy who cheated death to triumph over an EPO-fueled peloton while riding clean is here to remind us.
MarkFour28-07-2026 - We will have to aggree to disagree on that topic then it seems. Have great day.Cyclingsbestfan28-07-2026
- i would argue that if you know you can’t even make it to the line then you’re in no position to give any GIFT.OCexile28-07-2026
- And Jonas. By then, both Seixas and Del Toro (and maybe someone else) will have grown up...MajorPayne28-07-2026
- What big race does Ayuso have a chance of winning? ;)MajorPayne28-07-2026
- Would love to say that this is Zonneveld's worst take ever, but it's just his latest worst take.mrvco28-07-2026
- Because there was so much hype for him to do good. He pretty much finished where a lot of people expected.Pedalmasher28-07-2026
- This would not stop the dominance. Only a salary cap can do that.Pedalmasher28-07-2026
Loading
Write a comment