'Every week he’s worth half a million more' - Seixas stuns the cycling world and his own team

His breakthrough victory at La Flèche Wallonne confirmed what many suspected, but inside the Decathlon CMA CGM camp, the scale of his rise is still difficult to grasp. For those riding alongside him, the expectations have shifted almost overnight from hopeful to absolute.

Stan Dewulf has had a front row seat to it all. The Belgian spent the spring riding in support of Seixas, guiding him through races and helping control the peloton, most recently on the roads towards Huy.

“It was clear from the moment he joined the group that we were not just riding for a result,” Dewulf said after the race to Wielerflits. “There was a real belief we could win. Not top five, not podium, but win the race.”

That level of conviction is unusual for a rider so young, but Seixas has forced that change in mindset. Even within the team, where early season performances had already raised eyebrows, his latest display still came as a surprise.

“You still find yourself thinking, how is this possible?” Dewulf admitted. “This was his first time racing here. He barely knows the climb, and still he finishes it off like that. It is hard to understand.”

The momentum has been building for months. Strong performances earlier in the season had already put him on the radar, but each result seems to push the hype to another level, particularly in France, where attention around him has become relentless with even reports suggesting President Macron has stepped up to keep him within a French setup.

“It is getting bigger every week,” Dewulf said. “And honestly, it is deserved. Even if a 25-year-old was doing this, it would be impressive. But at his age, it is something special. You do not see this often.”

Those sentiments were echoed by directeur sportif Julien Jurdie, who praised Paul Seixas after the race.

“Paul finished it off in a magical way. To do this at 19 is incredible,” he said to Sporza. “He is a great champion, like Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, riders who can win both stage races and one day races.”

“The future is bright for him,” Jurdie added. “Especially because we wanted to race as the main favourite.”

“But Paul does everything so naturally. I have been a directeur sportif for 25 years, and this is the best rider I have ever worked with.”

Inside the team, there has been a conscious effort to shield him from that noise. With media requests piling up and expectations rising, the focus has been on keeping things as normal as possible.

“We try not to talk about the races all the time,” Dewulf explained. “There is already enough pressure from outside. So we keep it light, spend time together, make jokes. That is where we can make a difference as a team.”

Seixas himself appears largely unaffected. While questions about his future, potential transfers and even Grand Tour ambitions continue to follow him, those around him say he remains grounded.

“He is very calm,” Dewulf said. “You can see it in the way he speaks to people, to the team, to the media. He has a lot of respect and that helps him deal with everything.”

The rapid rise has also brought speculation about what comes next. With interest from elsewhere inevitable, questions around his long term future are already being asked. For now, those decisions appear to be on hold.

“I do not think he even knows yet what he wants,” Dewulf said. “Things are changing so quickly. Every result changes the situation again.”

One thing, however, is certain. Performances like this are not going unnoticed. “I think his value is going up every week,” Dewulf said with a smile. “Probably by half a million each time.”

Next up is Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where Seixas is set to face a deeper field, including Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel. Within the team, expectations remain measured, even after his breakthrough.

“It will be a completely different race,” Dewulf said. “Pogačar has already proven so much. But if Paul can surprise again, then anything is possible.”