“Will this boy be better at 23 than he is at 20?” – Lilian Calmejane raises burnout concerns over Paul Seixas despite extraordinary Tour debut
CyclingWednesday, 29 July 2026 at 15:45
Paul Seixas left his first Tour de France with fourth place overall, six top-five stage finishes and one of the most remarkable teenage performances in the race’s history.
For Lilian Calmejane, the scale of that achievement also brought cause for concern. The former Tour stage winner fears the commitment and perfectionism already demanded by Seixas at 19 could eventually leave him mentally exhausted.
Seixas arrived in Barcelona as the youngest Tour starter since 1937 and had never previously contested a race lasting longer than eight days. Three weeks later, the Decathlon CMA CGM Team leader stood fourth overall after repeatedly matching the leading general classification contenders in the mountains and individual time trial.
“I’m a little afraid that he’ll be mentally worn out in five or six years,” Calmejane told Ouest-France.
Calmejane questions whether Seixas enjoyed his Tour debut
Seixas had already established a reputation for meticulous preparation before the Tour. That approach helped him produce an exceptional opening half of the 2026 season, winning Itzulia Basque Country and La Fleche Wallonne while finishing second at both Strade Bianche and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Calmejane believes the same intensity that has accelerated his rise could become difficult to sustain. “He puts his mask on, avoids the journalists and says: ‘I’m going to the bus,’” said the former AG2R rider. “I don’t get the impression that he took much pleasure from this Tour. In any case, they probably were not the most enjoyable three weeks of his life. To have longevity in the sport, you need to enjoy yourself.”
Seixas carried enormous attention throughout his debut. France has waited since Bernard Hinault in 1985 for another home winner of the yellow jersey, and the teenager’s rapid rise has already made him the focus of expectations extending far beyond his own team.
His performances only intensified that interest. Seixas finished fourth on the summit finish at Les Angles, took third at both Le Lioran and Le Markstein and placed fourth in the individual time trial.
He remained in contention for the final podium until the last mountain stage, starting the day only 24 seconds behind Isaac del Toro. Decathlon CMA CGM chose to attack third place rather than defend fourth, but Seixas was unable to dislodge the Mexican and completed his first Grand Tour 11:56 behind winner Tadej Pogacar.
Seixas enjoyed a standout Tour de France debut
“He is already at the top of the pyramid”
Seixas turned professional in 2025 at the age of 18, moving directly into the WorldTour without spending time in the under-23 ranks. Less than two seasons later, he has already won a major stage race, claimed an Ardennes Classic and finished inside the top four at the Tour de France.
“In terms of his professionalism and commitment, he already has nothing left to learn,” Calmejane continued. “He is already at the top of the pyramid. So I ask myself: ‘Will this boy be better at 23 than he is at 20?’ Those are questions we are entitled to ask.”
Calmejane pointed to Juan Ayuso as a warning against assuming every teenage breakthrough will be followed by uninterrupted progress. The Spaniard finished third at the 2022 Vuelta a Espana at 19, but has since “plateaued a little” in the Frenchman’s view.
Seixas has already shown a range rarely seen in a rider of his age. He has won an individual time trial, succeeded on long climbs, beaten elite puncheurs on the Mur de Huy and challenged Pogacar in demanding one-day races.
His fourth place at the Tour was also built through consistency rather than one breakaway or exceptional day. Even deep into the third week, he remained close enough to the podium for Decathlon CMA CGM to race aggressively on the final mountain stage.
“Yes, in terms of his attitude, his physical ability and his maturity, it is crazy,” Calmejane said. “We are talking about fourth place at only 19 years old. It is absolutely enormous, and he did it without suffering a real bad day. He produced an incredible time trial. He is complete, strong and mature.”
Calmejane believes Seixas could be ready to challenge for the yellow jersey within another two or three years, although he also acknowledged that improvement may not be enough while Pogacar remains at his current level.
Seixas’ debut confirmed his status as France’s leading Tour prospect. It also left Calmejane wondering how long a teenager already operating with the discipline, pressure and scrutiny of an established leader can continue without losing the enjoyment that first brought him to the sport.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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