"There is a chance it becomes less Tadej against Jonas" - Wout Van Aert believes Paul Seixas might challenge 'big two' at the Tour de France

Paul Seixas will race the 2026 Tour de France and this means all teams who want to battle for the overall classification now have to take him into consideration. Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard will have a new rival for the Grand Tours, although the Frenchman still has to prove his three-week credentials. However from high authority, Wout Van Aert does not underestimate how high the 19-year old can go.

“If he continues to confirm his level, he will simply belong with the big guys,” Van Aert said in a group interview at Visma's Service Koers, as reported by Domestique. “There is a chance it becomes less Tadej against Jonas, and more a battle between three men, or even more.”

The level that Seixas had throughout the spring confirms he is more than fit to race for the Tour podium, or even more. However, it is the recovery, endurance and experience factors that can come to his disadvantage. However, Tadej Pogacar and Juan Ayuso are recent examples of riders who immediately finished on the podium of their first Grand Tour also at an extreme young age, so Seixas would not be breaking new ground when it comes to that variable. In 2026, more than ever before, riders in their early 20's are capable of fighting for big wins in all terrains.

Team Visma | Lease a Bike are heading to the Giro d'Italia this May to conquer the pink jersey, with Jonas Vingegaard being the overwhelming favourite for the pink jersey. In July it will be a different story; and Van Aert knows that Visma cannot only consider battling Pogacar as has been the case for most of the previous editions of the Grand Boucle, but that they might have the company of a rider whom they do not know much a bout.

“What he is doing at such a young age really surprises me. We definitely shouldn’t underestimate him. He has the legs to be involved," Van Aert warns.