"The approach towards me is different than it used to be" - Paul Seixas explains how the Tour de France changed his life as a cyclist
Cycling
The Tour de France didn't make Paul Seixas the made man, but it certainly changed his life and perspective in cycling after riding his first Grand Tour in July. In a phenomenal fifth place, Seixas was met by attention, pressure and crowds like nothing he ever felt before.
Now six weeks after the dust settled on La Grand Boucle, the teenager leads the French team heading towards the World Championships on September 27th. By the time he pins his race number in Montreal, he will have turned 20 and hopes to continue racing with maturity beyond his years.
However, before all that he has a double-helping of Canadian WorldTour one-day races as many arrive in Canada to set up their Worlds base and test the legs in dress rehearsals on Friday and Sunday in the form of the GP de Québec and GP de Montréal.
Racing with Decathlon CMA CGM, he believes the Tour has given him more confidence in himself as he hopes to shadow-box with his potential rainbow jersey race rivals and scout out the streets for the final battle.
Paul Seixas at the 2026 Tour de France
Seixas feels more confident
“It is certainly true that I have more confidence in myself now,” Seixas told press in Quebec.
“The most important thing for the coming days is that I can measure myself against my main rivals for the World Championships. After that, of course, we want to ride the best possible race at the World Championships. With the French team, we will be ambitious.”
Seixas was up in altitude camp after recovering from the Tour, but isn't sure where exactly his level is after a long break from racing.
“These Grand Prixs will be a good indication with an eye on the World Championships. I hope I can compete with them in the GP de Québec and the GP de Montréal. We did everything we could during an altitude training camp in Les Arcs to be ready for that.
"Now we have to see how that plays out on the road on Friday and Sunday. It is an honor to be able to compete against the big names, and I hope I have the level to actually do so.”
Seixas reflects on impact of Tour de France
Reflecting on the Tour and its potential life-changing impact on the Frenchman, Seixas didn't go as far as saying it changed his life - but noted that the attention, pressure and support did change his perspective and cycling life when it comes to what he can do and his future decisions in the sport.
“By a distance, it was actually quite crazy. There were so many people cheering me on, and of course the other French riders as well. That passion from my compatriots is special. It gives me a boost every day and the strength to keep fighting until the end.
“After the Tour, that naturally plays an even bigger role, and actually after my entire season, which has already been quite incredible so far. The approach towards me is different than it used to be. But it doesn't change my life. I mainly continue doing the things I enjoy myself.”
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
- Eccelente! That's 7 riders in total in Red Bull who come from the devo team, 8 if you include Lipo
Rafionain-Glas09-11-2026 - again, nothing is going to be resolved. it is a discussion board. I simply said I didn't see how MS impeded LBs sprint. the UCI doesn't care about my thoughts, and I am really not that emotionally invested in it.mij09-11-2026
- provoke change, lol. this is a discussion board. nothing is going to change by what I say here. just commenting that it didn't look like MS impeded Brand. beyond that not trying to go too deep.mij09-11-2026
- as excellent as maga rednecks chloe dygert (and quinn simmons)?Ketterechts09-11-2026
- so what i understand is: i left a comment calling out the endless author CVs for being an unnecessary flex of expertise, and you responded by lecturing me (and others) on discrimination and value systems. hats off to you. you definitely lost me!Ketterechts09-11-2026
- I just love the flood of Americans into the top ranks of world cycling. In addition to being studs on the bike, they all seem to be excellent emissaries for our country.Occam09-11-2026
- ANATOMY OF A G.O.A.T. EDDY MERCKX about TADEJ POGAČAR: Merckx: “He has revived a style of cycling that we had almost forgotten. He is now better than me.” Key statements by Merckx about Pogačar in 2026: - Acknowledging his superiority: This time, Merckx openly admitted, without any subsequent backtracking or reservations, that Pogačar had surpassed him and was now above him. This contrasts with 2024, when he quickly softened his remarks about Pogačar being faster. - The possibility of a historic triple (Giro, Tour and Vuelta): During the July Tour de France (where Pogi claimed his fifth title), Merckx stated that Pogi was the only cyclist in history capable of winning all three Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) in a single season, provided the conditions were right and he had sufficient team support. - Lack of serious competition: Merckx emphasised that Pogačar has no real rivals in the mountains since 2024, thanks to his extraordinary climbing ability and the fact that he continues to improve despite still being under 28 (he turned 28 in autumn 2026). - Praise for his racing style: Merckx highlighted how Pogačar is bringing back the aggressive, uncompromising spirit of cycling's golden era, when races were not merely about calculated stages and tactical conservatism, but about attacking from long distances. PS: This is not "boring" ... this is called making real history, not only statistical history. Capish?PogiSloFans09-11-2026
- It’s off-season mate, I’m bored and fed up with the mediocrity of people unwilling to provoke change when they admit things aren’t right. What have you done lately to make anyone realise you won’t put up with things? What conversation, are you dictating to me which part of the incident I have to be interested in or telling me other parts are taboo? That’s what I guess the UCI would really like, let them moan, let it blow over for them pass on to the next thing, let’s keep the status quo, let’s try our best not reviewing or revealing anything about decision-making just like every time before, they’re used to it by now so we can take the risk they’ll never give us grief.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
- As far as CUTD headlines go this is far from the worst. It helps if you look at it twice and realise it’s a list of descriptions from distinct events. You can’t deny the reality of being a rival if you consider the picture immediately below, frontrunner is unfortunate but I’m guessing this time it’s more a linguistic failure than a clickbaiting opportunity. Just a reminder that this is not an anglo website, for those who find it too tedious to interpret text to get the gist of things which are rarely of great importance (as opposed to eg purposely biaised DOJ extradition translations in order to achieve hidden agendas), there are plenty of anglo cycling websites google can suggest.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
- Ah, finally someone willing to be a bit proactive.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
Loading
1 Comments