The whole of France was waiting for this news: Paul Seixas from the Decathlon CMA CGM team announced his participation in the 2026 Tour de France at the beginning of May. With his outstanding performances in the spring, this move had long been expected: according to a previous survey, 73 per cent of the French expected him to make his Tour debut. The 19-year-old from Lyon has not yet contested a Grand Tour. He is only in his second year as a professional cyclist and made a sensational start in 2026. His stage win at the Tour of the Algarve (2nd place overall) was followed by his second place at Strade Bianche behind Tadej Pogacar. Shortly afterwards he won the Tour of the Basque Country, Flèche Wallonne and finally finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In that race, he was the last rider to keep Pogacar's rear wheel until almost the end.
Paul Seixas stages his announcement
The start of the tour was announced on social media with a staged visit to his grandparents. In the video, you can see Seixas' many trophies and how he tells his grandparents about his "race in July". The many trophies and winners' jerseys cannot hide one thing: the Tour de France is bigger than anything he has ever experienced before. At the Grand Départ in Barcelona, Seixas will be 19 years and 9 months old, making him the youngest participant in the Grande Boucle since 1937. That alone shows how daring the experiment is.
"It's my childhood dream, something I've often imagined and now it's very close. I'm only 19 years old, but as I said, age is neither an obstacle nor an excuse," commented Seixas. This decision, which was made in consultation with the team's management, was "carefully thought through and built up together over the last few days."
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Paul Seixas: France's Tour hopeful
In the French media, he is described as either a piece of gold or a phenomenon and the podcasts are full of praise. Comparisons were quickly made with Bernard Hinault - the last French winner of the Tour de France. France's desire for a French Tour winner is great and has been a heavy burden for some strong riders in recent years. France has been hoping for a Frenchman to win again since 1985 - Thibaut Pinot was the last great hope. When he finished third in 2014, he was only 24 years old and thus the promise of the future of French cycling. He always felt the pressure from the French public - he never managed to win. With Jean-Christophe Peraud in 2014 and Romain Bardet in 2016, two Frenchmen even managed second place - but they never got any higher. Marc Madiot has learnt, not least from Pinot, how exhausting the pressure is for an athlete. He sees Seixas' Tour start as dangerous and has publicly advised him against it. In the RMC programme "Les Grandes Gueules du Sport", he emphasised the difference between the Tour and other tours: "We underestimate what the Tour de France is. When you're a rider at the Tour de France, whether you're young, a beginner or an experienced cyclist, you get into a washing machine that grips you, that devours you day after day." He also emphasises the stress before and after the stages, which is its own race within the race and takes a lot of energy.
Risky experiment
From Team Decathlon CMA CGM's point of view, Seixas' Tour start is a risky endeavour. Nobody can predict how Seixas will cope with the three-week exertions of the Tour de France and whether he will be able to cope with the public pressure. However, the decision was made easier by two developments: Originally, the team wanted to fully back Olav Kooij and the green jersey at the Tour de France - but the sprinter was slowed down by a lengthy illness in the spring. At the same time, the team's management may have already been thinking about the unpredictable future. Because Seixas is regarded as one of the greatest cycling talents in a long time, other teams are very keen on him. There are already rumours of interest in Seixas from Team Visma|Lease a Bike, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Netcompany INEOS. If one of these teams digs deep into its coffers, the Decathlon CMA CGM team could quickly lose its star. Perhaps that is another motivation for the high risk. In any case, the spotlight is on Seixas - even if the experiment fails. Just rolling along in the field and gaining experience is not Seixas' mission: "Paul is starting in Barcelona with realistic ambitions to achieve the best possible result in the overall classification," explained team boss Dominique Serieys.
Tour de France: Stress without end
Usually, professional cyclists first get used to the rigours of three-week tours at the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta. The leap to the Tour de France is even greater. Nico Denz, for example, gained experience at the Tour of Spain in 2017, started at the Giro in 2018 and only made his Tour debut in 2024. His conclusion after his Tour debut: "The level is incredible. The cycling is so incredibly fast, it can't be compared to anything else." In the Bora podcast, he explained that the Giro is a race where you can show instinct and utilise your freedom. The Tour de France, on the other hand, is a three-week endurance sprint. There is not a single relaxed kilometre in the Tour, as the battle for positions in the peloton is continuous and extremely aggressive." So far, Seixas has shown an astonishing lack of concern in the face of public pressure - the Tour de France will challenge him in every way like never before.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
