"The idea in France is that he could be Pogacar's successor": French journalist sees no way Paul Seixas won't ride Tour
Cycling
What do super talents have in common? One of the many things is that they make it seem as if they never fall out of shape. And if, just like us, you consider Paul Seixas one of these generational riders, then it's not hard to draw the conclusion that at the start of 2026 season, he picked up where he left off at the end of last year with a second overall at Volta ao Algarve, followed up by a dominant showcase of power at the Faun-Ardèche Classic where the 19-year-old won after a 40-kilometer solo.
The young Frenchman is already being compared to a five-time Tour de France champion Bernard Hinault by many French experts and fans alike for his apparent GC talent, however L'Équipe journalist Pierre Menjot points out to WielerFlits that the Decathlon CMA CGM starlet has many more assets in his arsenal:
"He's also incredibly strong in one-day races, as we saw last weekend [at Faun-Ardèche Classic] and also last season in the Il Lombardia. He has the mentality and the will to win in those races as well. He could do well in the future in races like Lombardia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. I won't say he'll win, because I'm very bad at predicting," he laughs.
The comparisons with the current number one of cycling peloton Tadej Pogacar, whom he'll face this Saturday at the Strade Bianche are easy to come by. The Slovenian is also one of the top-3 cyclists in cobbled races... does Menjot expect Seixas to go down this path as well at some point of his career? "I'm not keen on the cobbles at the moment, but he has done cyclocross [6th at the 2023 European Championships in junior category, ed.]. But you never know."
Pogacar's successor
Regardless of where Seixas decides to focus his attention, Menjot believes the youngster is bound to succeed. Well, maybe except bunch sprints.
"Paul is super complete," says Menjot. "It seems like he can do anything. Or let me put it this way: I wouldn't dare say he can't do anything, except win a bunch sprint. Although he does have a strong finish. The idea in France is that he could be Pogacar's successor. Not necessarily in terms of his palmares, but certainly in his style of racing."
"That's the kind of guy that's happening in France right now. Or let me put it this way: Seixas isn't a normal rider. He's that kind of guy. He is one of a kind. Just like Pogacar, we think Seixas can win a wide range of races in the future. But we have to be careful. We can put Paul in the same category, but certainly not at the same level. Jan Christen also said it after the finish in the Ardèche: Seixas needs to be able to show this for a long time to come."
'Yes' Tour, or 'No' Tour?
Another point of discussions for a while has been whether Paul Seixas should debut at the Tour de France already this summer. One argument was that the load might be too heavy for such a young rider; both in terms of expectations and difficulty, however the 19-year-old is quickly proving that there's hardly any reason for concern whether he's up to the challenge.
"Yet, I think it's the only option," agrees Menjot. "Earlier this week, we were able to write that he will definitely not ride the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta a España, because he wants to compete in the World Championships in Canada. The only possibility he won't ride the Tour this year is if he's burned out after the Classics. Decathlon CMA CGM will only take him to the Tour if he's 100% ready."
Paul Seixas trains on the gravel ahead of Strade Bianche 2026
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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