"The hardest thing in cycling is maintaining that carefree attitude": Romain Bardet advices rising star Paul Seixas

Paul Seixas made a stunning entrance into the world of professional cycling. Especially towards the end of the season, the still teenager won the Tour de l'Avenir, podiumed the European Championships in elite category, and later arrived 7th at Il Lombardia. That's an incredible feat for a rider that will only turn 20 next September. And for the French fans, it's a great reason for optimism after in the past decade, their dauphins Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot failed to break the fasting of French cycling at Tour de France that lasts since Bernard Hinault's fifth title in 1985.

"You have to keep in mind that a [rider's] career may seem short [to an outsider], but it's still long [for the riders themselves]," the winner of four Tour stages and a polka dot jersey Bardet tells Ouest France.

The Frenchman himself was once a great asset of French cycling and, alongside Thibaut Pinot, the weight of expectations eventually became a burden too heavy to carry any further. At the age of 25, Bardet finished runner-up to Chris Froome, four minutes behind the Briton.

And although he had many productive seasons, including the next one when he came only 2 minutes of winning the Tour while finishing third overall, Bardet's attention gradually started to drift away to other targets. Perhaps in an attempt to escape the pressure of French fans.

Aware of all that, Bardet knows that there is a lesson to be learned from his example. It's great if Seixas can go and ride with the best, but it should come from within himself when he decides to go for a GrandTour podium, or even a victory.

"I'm far from giving advice to anyone, but you have to consider career plans. The hardest thing in cycling is maintaining that carefree attitude. We see it with Pogacar and the weariness that perhaps sets in during the Tour de France," he sets out the Slovenian phenomenon as an example. Even Pogacar knows when to stop pushing and take a break, or switch objectives to keep himself entertained.

That is exactly what he recommends to Seixas too - he shouldn't make his career revolve solely around the Tour (or another race), especially if he finds it unreasonably difficult to achieve the goal. "Beyond pure physical performance and the ability to improve each year, it's about maintaining that inner flow to ensure Paul reaches the heights he's destined for."

Above all though, Bardet is worried about the fans who already potray the 19-year-old Seixas on the Champs-Élysées podium, without having even ridden his first GrandTour.

"There's a certain frenzy that worries me a little, given the incredibly demanding nature of it for young athletes," he reveals. "Now, to turn professional, they have to meet a level of expectation that's so much higher than it was when we turned professional. This is reflected in the level of performance they manage to achieve from a very young age."

Bardet continues: "It's this aspect, with the resulting mental strain, that can weaken long-term motivation. You have to find the right balance, but it's quite personal for each athlete."

A variety of racing schedule is an important aspect. "In the World Tour, we did the same races five, six, seven, or ten times. There's no variety. I think you have to maintain that freshness over the years to keep your body active on the side," Bardet stresses out how repetition can ruin a rider's morale.

Thus the next few years should be a learning period for Seixas before he takes up the big duty. "It's good, in the early years of your career, to maintain the sense of wonder of discovering new events, gradually increasing the number of races you participate in. Paul needs to still want to experience races he hasn't done yet, in two or three years."