"You don't go to the Tour to learn, you go to win": Expert suggests Paul Seixas shouldn't make any half-attempts

The 2025 season was similar to 2024 in the sense that Tadej Pogacar won anywhere he landed his feet, unless his opponent was Mathieu van der Poel. Next year, we cannot expect a massive shift in the world's order, however French cycling has an ace up their sleeve for the foreseeable future. That card has a name of Paul Seixas written on it. The young prodigy's uprise this year was closely followed by every cycling fan, including former French national coach Cyrille Guimard.

"I think we've had a great year, marked by some real exploits," Guimard analyzed the past year in an interview with Cyclism'Actu. "Above all, I feel that cycling is rediscovering what has always been its strength: rivalries."

In recent years, it was Jonas Vingegaard against Tadej Pogacar at the Tour de France, but now mainly the Slovenian's battles with Mathieu van der Poel at Classics are what attracts crowds.

"In the days of Anquetil, Poulidor, and Robic, that's what thrilled the public. Today, we have Pogacar, but he lacks a real long-distance opponent. Vingegaard is a great rider, but there's no established duel between them. Cycling thrives on rivalries between stars, not just between 'great champions.'"

"In the Grand Tours, there's only one star: Pogacar. In the Classics, we have Van der Poel, Pogacar, and Evenepoel as the third man. And I have the feeling that we'll quickly shift towards a real confrontation between two generations: Pogacar and Paul Seixas."

The French expert and former national coach then reminds how privileged the French cycling is to have the extremely talented riders such as Paul Seixas coming through these days. And it's not only about the young climber.

"When riders have talent, panache, a smile, and a real connection with the public, it changes everything. And we're lucky in France, because with Seixas and Paul Magnier - who is becoming one of the world's leading sprinters - we may have two riders of popularity capable of regenerating the interest of the general public."

The freshly 19-year-old supertalent already convinced everyone of his tremendous potential this year with 3rd place at the European Championships, 7th at Lombardia, or 8th overall at Critérium du Dauphiné. In years to come, the young rider could well replace Tadej Pogacar, then his name will be brought up more often than others. But won't the pressure be too much?

"We talk about it a lot, and that's normal. What he's been doing for the past two years is huge. The real risk isn't to 'burn him out' physically; talent doesn't burn. It's to shake him up psychologically with excessive expectations."

French crowds, as impatient as ever, would love to have their next GC star immediately compete for yellow jersey at the Grande Boucle, but wouldn't 2026 be too soon?

"We hear the same arguments as in Hinault's time: 'Should we put him on the Tour straight away?' I've experienced these debates. And I repeat: you don't go to the Tour to learn, you go to win. A rider like Seixas can't just come and finish 6th or 8th. When he comes, it will be to fight for victory."

"Today, he doesn't yet have the physiological and mental maturity. That comes around at 21-22 years old. 2026 must be a year of construction, based on the classics, the one-week races, learning the cobblestones, the eaves, the trajectories... learning to rub shoulders. That's what it means to become a complete rider. Then he can aim for a Grand Tour. But not before he's equipped to win, not to 'participate,'" Guimard concludes.