Alaphilippe, Seixas and Ferrand-Prévot lead formidable French squads for Rwanda Worlds

The French squads for the upcoming World Championships in Rwanda were revealed on Monday by coach Thomas Voeckler. 

Thomas Voeckler has announced an eight-rider French men's team featuring two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) and teenage prodigy Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) for the upcoming UCI Elite Men's Road Race World Championships in Rwanda on the challenging Kigali course on September 28. Meanwhile, Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) will lead the line in the Elite Women's race with rainbows as the aim.

Alaphilippe claimed his first WorldTour victory since May 2024, on Friday, by winning the GP de Québec solo, after an emphatic attack in the finale. Winner of the rainbow bands in Imola, Italy (2020) and Leuven, Belgium (2021), Alaphilippe knows what it takes to perform at his best on the big championship days, and with his current form and confidence, he could be a real asset for the French team.

The potential debut of recent Tour de l’Avenir winner Paul Seixas in the Elite World Championships has garnered plenty of anticipation over recent months, with the 18-year-old well-suited to the difficult course on the menu. Given his age, Seixas is almost a wildcard option for the team, but it wouldn’t surprise many if he becomes their main card as the road race goes on. He will also race the time trial (September 21) alongside his current trade teammate, the ever-reliable Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale).

Three more riders selected for the Elite Men’s road race have been showing positive signs in Canada recently. 

Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was prevalent in last year’s championship when he was caught by Tadej Pogačar after the Slovenian launched his audacious move with 100km to go, and the Frenchman rode with his teammate for a considerable distance until he was dropped with 51km to go, eventually ending 35th. Sivakov illustrated green shoots at the Tour of Britain, before ending second at the GP de Québec behind Alaphilippe. 

Louis Barré (Intermarché-Wanty) has also been selected for his debut participation with the 25-year-old, fresh off a strong performance at the GP de Montréal, where he finished sixth. Meanwhile, Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) will arrive off the back of 15th and 17th place finishes in the Canadian WorldTour races. 

Tour de France stage winner on Mont Ventoux, Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-QuickStep), and 10th place overall, Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies), round out an in-form and strong French squad who will be looking for medals in Kigali, with Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) fresh off a strong Vuelta a España, lining up for his fourth elite Worlds.

The women’s squad for the road race includes Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who will be one of the main contenders to take the rainbow bands, 11 years after her first victory in this event. Ferrand-Prévot will be joined by Cédrine Kerbaol, Léa Curinier, Juliette Labous, Marie Le Net, Evita Muzic, and the Tour’s breakout star Maëva Squiban. For the time trial, Kerbaol and Labous will represent the French.

France has also named a strong mixed relay squad for the team time trial event on September 24, combining Armirail, Seixas and Sivakov from the men's ranks with Kerbaol, Labous and Squiban from the women's team.

Complete French team for UCI Road World Championships

Men's Road Race (September 28): Julian Alaphilippe, Louis Barré, Julien Bernard, Jordan Jegat, Valentin Madouas, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Paul Seixas, Pavel Sivakov

Women's Road Race (September 27): Léa Curinier, Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt, Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous, Marie Le Net, Evita Muzic, Maëva Squiban

Men's Time Trial (September 21): Bruno Armirail, Paul Seixas

Women's Time Trial (September 21): Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous

Team Time Trial - Mixed Relay (September 24): Bruno Armirail, Paul Seixas, Pavel Sivakov, Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous, Maëva Squiban