“You have to put the age factor aside – he’s a UFO” – Paul Seixas’ rapid ascent through the eyes of a Decathlon teammate

Within Decathlon CMA CGM, the discussion around Paul Seixas has shifted noticeably in the space of twelve months.

Last season, he was a gifted support rider learning the demands of the WorldTour. This winter, he trained as a protected leader, arrived at the Volta ao Algarve ready to race for the general classification, won a summit finish and delivered a time trial performance that placed him within seconds of established specialists.

That progression has altered the internal lens through which he is viewed.

Speaking on Eurosport’s Bistrot Velo, teammate Paul Lapeira made it clear that Seixas is no longer being assessed on age or potential curves. “You have to put the age factor aside, because he’s a UFO.”

The outside narrative has understandably focused on the spectacle of his ride at the Volta ao Algarve. A summit victory on Alto da Foia, second overall behind Juan Ayuso, and a time trial just 13 seconds slower than a specialist such as Filippo Ganna. For many, it felt like a breakout.

Lapeira does not see it that way. “When you consider his age, of course, you’re surprised. But when you know his talent and the expectations on his shoulders, you’re not surprised, because it’s what we expect from him,” he explained. “What he did in the Algarve is simply a continuation.”

That word – continuation – is key.

Seixas closed last season with a European Championships podium and a top ten at Il Lombardia. He began this one by immediately racing for overall victory in his first outing of 2026. The trajectory has not stalled. It has not dipped. It has accelerated.

And it has done so under increasing responsibility.

Unlike 12 months ago, Seixas is no longer just an ambitious support rider. He is a protected figure in selected races, even with experienced winners such as Lapeira in the same squad.

“There is a co-leadership planned when we are racing together with Paul Seixas,” said Lapeira, the 2024 French national champion. “I will have my chance. The team manages that quite well. It doesn’t put astronomical pressure on Paul.”

That final point is revealing. The pressure is obvious from the outside. Inside the team, it is being managed rather than amplified.

Seixas’ winter preparation underlined that shift in status. He spent months at altitude in Sierra Nevada, even speaking openly about not seeing his parents or girlfriend for two months in order to focus fully on performance. The work translated directly into his Algarve level, particularly in the time trial, where optimisation around position, equipment and detail played a role alongside raw climbing ability.

Lapeira was quick to highlight that structure.

“His result in the time trial obviously comes largely from his physical condition, because without the legs he has, he would never achieve that placing,” he said. “But there is also all the optimisation work around him, everything done around the time trial within the team – the bike, the clothing… All those small details added together mean that in the end, you get the kind of good results he is capable of.”

For Decathlon, Seixas is not just a prodigy to protect but a long-term project to build around. Recruitment has strengthened the squad, but the investment in infrastructure appears just as significant.

“It’s good because we are putting every possible chance on the riders’ side,” Lapeira added. “For the future, the team is capable of providing him with a lot to take him even higher. I think he is in the right place.”

That assessment carries more weight than external hype.

Seixas’ rise has been steady rather than explosive, but the numbers and the results are beginning to force a shift in tone. When a 19-year-old is competitive in the mountains, competitive against time trial specialists, and entrusted with leadership without visible strain, the conversation changes.

Inside Decathlon, it already has.

Age, as Lapeira bluntly put it, is no longer the defining metric.