"Take as few risks as possible” - Paul Seixas outlines Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes strategy ahead of stage 4
Cycling
Paul Seixas tackles the second half of the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes 2026 convinced the general classification remains wide open. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider lost time to several key rivals after the team time trial, but he stayed calm and confident ahead of the remaining mountain stages.
The third stage was anything but straightforward for the French squad. The early loss of Stefan Bissegger shaped a demanding time trial and forced the team to adapt on the fly. Even so, Seixas rated the collective effort highly.
“It wasn’t an easy time trial. The route was quite hard, we lost Stefan early, we finished fifth,” explained the young Frenchman. Rather than dwell on the setbacks, he highlighted his teammates’ response throughout the day. “We fought, we did a good job to place fifth. I think the team was very solid,” he told Cycling Pro Net.
Among the standout performers, Seixas underlined the ride by Daan Hoole, one of the key contributors to the team’s pace during the TTT. “Daan, especially on the descent, made the difference,” said the Decathlon CMA CGM leader.
The Frenchman also acknowledged the high level shown by the day’s top squads. “There were great rides from Visma, INEOS and other teams. They were very solid, you have to give them credit,” he noted.
A different test for Paul Seixas
Accustomed to shining in individual efforts, Seixas was asked about tackling a discipline so dependent on teamwork as the team time trial. The Frenchman played down any frustration from having to match the group’s rhythm.
“That’s how it is. We don’t have another option,” he said. For the Decathlon CMA CGM rider, the final outcome hinges on multiple factors. “It depends a lot on the team and on each rider’s form,” he added.
On a personal level, the sensations were positive. “I felt good, that’s what I take away,” he said.
Despite the gaps opened by the time trial, Seixas believes the general classification is far from settled. “It’s not decided yet. I think anything is possible in the mountain stages,” he stated.
Paul Seixas, Decathlon CMA CGM star in 2026.
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With several demanding days ahead, the Frenchman remains confident he can claw back time on his direct rivals. Before stage four, however, he prefers to approach the day with caution.
“It will be a very hard day to escape. The finale is relatively flat,” he analysed. The immediate goal, then, is to get through the stage without drama and save energy for the decisive days. “The objective is to take as few risks as possible and finish the stage as comfortably as we can,” he concluded.
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.
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- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
- dude, Lemond never even was in the same race as Armstrong. He throws all these aspersions on other American riders who might usurp his throne as the greatest ever American racer. He doesn't say a single thing about (foreign) dopers who he actually raced against. Biggest douchebag move ever. I used to revere that guy, now I despise him. His actions are so weird.fatsupermodel02-11-2026
- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
- Geez LeMond...let it go. You're a has been, albeit a former great one. But this is all water under the bridge and just undermines your legacy further.Mshark01-11-2026
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