Will Paul Seixas' be the Grand Tours' next big thing? Former Decathlon manager believes so: "He’ll give Pogacar a real run for his money"
Cycling
Vincent Lavenu was a manager at Decathlon CMA CGM Team for decades, and was ultimately fired in 2024, only months before Paul Seixas' transition into the elite peloton. The French manager looks back at the development and growth of France's new star.
"... We crossed paths often, and it was clear to us that Paul was a very talented boy. Of course, it’s difficult to predict—when a boy is still in those younger age categories—whether he will go on to become one of the best professional riders," Lavenu said in an interview with Cyclism'Actu.
"We simply recognized a youngster with a great many qualities. Quite quickly, during his time as a cadet, he reached a significant turning point. Then, as a junior, he continued to progress. What we see today—myself included—is something we had already spotted when he was very young".
Seixas was no unknown figure. At a point in time where junior riders are heavily scouted, and at times even signed directly onto World Tour teams from the youth category, the Frenchman's talent didn't go unnoticed.
Seixas is a pure cycling talent
In his final year as a junior, Seixas won Liège-Bastogne-Liège; the time trial national and world title; and plenty other races. Born in late 2006, he debuted for Decathlon's elite team as an 18-year old.
Paul Seixas dominated the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country
"He is an exceptional young man, possessing the physical and mental capacity to compete alongside the very best today. It’s truly extraordinary. To put it simply, he is a pure cycling talent".
But signing Seixas at the time was no easy task, as despite being part of the team's development ranks, Lavenu was well aware that other teams were trying to capture the rider that has already become France's next 'big hope'.
"When we convinced Paul to join the AG2R team—back when he was still a cadet—I know that other squads, including some French ones, were also in the running. Perhaps it took a bit of intuition on our part to successfully bring him on board".
"He was a cadet at the time, and he subsequently joined our junior group during various training camps. Little by little, his integration happened quite naturally. Well, of course—from that moment on, many people were already taking note of his talent".
Striking pro debut for Decathlon
In February 2025, Seixas turned pro with Decathlon, finishing fifth at the GP La Marseillaise. A few months later, he won the points classification at the mountainous Tour of the Alps - where he didn't take his first pro win on the final day as he awarded it to teammate Nicolas Prodhomme.
"I think everyone has become aware of Paul’s talent this year. His progress since turning professional in 2025 has been quite extraordinary. I’ve known him for a very long time—ever since he was a cadet. In fact, I was the one who signed him to the AG2R team back when he was a cadet and joining our junior setup".
"Looking at his development since the start of 2025, it’s truly impressive. In his very first race, the Grand Prix de La Marseillaise, he was already at the front, battling against the best. Later in the season, he finished third at the European Championships—he had already shown remarkable growth".
Having won the Tour de l'Avenir just over 12 months ago, he went on to make his Tour de France debut less than a year later, finishing in fourth place at age 19. But that was only one of the many impressive results of the season, which included runner-up positions behind Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
"One might have assumed he’d hit a ceiling, but in 2026, his progress remained just as striking. The way he won some incredible races—most notably La Flèche Wallonne—was truly exceptional. During the Tour de France, he held his own among the world’s best riders and even managed to stay with Pogačar for a few moments".
Seixas set to rival Pogacar?
Seixas dominated Itzulia Basque Country and Flèche Wallonne in the spring; and has throughout the fall also been a headliner in every single race he's started. A complete and versatile rider, he is most often compared to Tadej Pogacar himself.
But Lavenu, who has been following Seixas' development for years, believes that it is not just about comparing the two.
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"Finally, his victory at the Tour of Lombardy confirmed that his development has remained consistent," he added. "It’s fair to assume that next year, he’ll give Pogacar a real run for his money". Seixas' evolution from 2025 to 2026 was notable; and a similar difference into 2027 could see the Frenchman match the world's best.
"Will he be able to beat him in a Grand Tour? That’s hard to say. But what is clear is that Paul possesses an immense, raw talent—the kind of talent France has been waiting for for over 40 years," Lavenu concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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