“Stronger than Tadej Pogacar was at his age” – Thibaut Pinot waxes lyrical about teenage compatriot Paul Seixas

For years, France has longed for a new homegrown rider capable of taking on cycling’s biggest stars. Now, according to Thibaut Pinot, they may already have one — and he could be even stronger than Tadej Pogacar was at the same age.

Pinot, one of the most popular and charismatic figures of his generation, has heaped praise on 19-year-old Paul Seixas, who has lit up his rookie World Tour season in the colours of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, and more recently in the colours of his nation at the World Championships in Kigali and the European Championships in his homeland.

“He might even be stronger than Tadej was at his age. I’ve been watching him for a while now,” Pinot told L'Équipe. “It’s true that in his first season, Tadej finished third at the Vuelta and won three stages, but he was also two years older than Seixas at the time. You almost get the feeling Paul is ahead of schedule.”

It’s a striking statement — not least because Pogacar is widely seen as one of the greatest riders of his generation, if not of all time. But Seixas has given the French public reasons to dream.

Seixas burst onto the elite men's scene recently with bronze at the European Championships in Drôme-Ardèche, finishing behind only Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. His dominant time trial win at the Tour de l’Avenir — where he also sealed overall victory — underlined not only his climbing ability but also a versatility rarely seen in riders so young.

At just 19, he’s shown maturity and race craft that belies his age, mixing it with established Grand Tour contenders across multiple terrains. What’s more, he’s done so in a season when Decathlon AG2R have undergone a major transformation, bolstered by the arrival of CMA CGM as co-sponsor and an ambitious transfer campaign designed to build a team capable of challenging the sport’s elite.

For Pinot, who once carried the weight of French expectation on his own shoulders, Seixas represents a rare combination of talent and timing. “What Paul is doing is exceptional,” he said. “I think Decathlon AG2R will throw him straight into the deep end next year at the Tour.”

That likely means a debut at the Tour de France 2026, where Seixas would face the likes of Pogacar and Evenepoel on home roads. For many in France, the prospect of seeing a home-grown rider fighting for yellow is intoxicating.

Before that, the teenager faces another major test this Saturday at Il Lombardia, where he’ll again line up against Pogacar and Evenepoel once more, in the first monument of his career.

The “Race of the Falling Leaves” has often revealed who is ready to step into cycling’s top echelon. For Seixas, it’s another chance to show just why the sport — and now Pinot — are talking about him in the same breath as one of the greatest of all time.