Ferrand-Prévot urges Seixas to seize his moment as Tour expectations build in France

France has been here before, searching for the next rider to end its long wait for a Tour de France winner since Bernard Hinault in 1985. Riders like Richard Virenque, Christophe Moreau, Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot were all hailed after early strong performances, but none managed to reach the top step in Paris.

But Seixas’ rise feels different. His win at La Flèche Wallonne, where he was the strongest on the Mur de Huy, has pushed himself further into the spotlight.

And it’s not just that one result. Earlier this season he finished second at Strade Bianche and then dominated Itzulia Basque Country, taking the overall and three stages. What began as a breakthrough year is rapidly turning into something bigger, with expectations rising almost by the week.

A decision on whether he will start this summer’s Tour de France is expected after Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but the debate is in France already in full swing.

Ferrand Prévot leaves little doubt about where she stands. “Whether Paul rides the Tour if he wants to, he should enjoy it and, above all, keep his carefree approach,” she said in quotes collected by AFP. “He should take advantage of his current form.”

It is advice rooted as much in experience as observation. In 2025, Ferrand-Prévot became the first French rider in decades to win a Tour de France, claiming the Tour de France Femmes on her debut and briefly lifting a weight that has long hung over French cycling. She understands both the opportunity and the pressure that comes with it.

Recently Tour de France boss, Christian Prudhomme told Eurosport that momentum around the young Frenchman is clearly building behind the scenes, with a summer debut looking increasingly likely.

"There is a 90% chance. [...] I have the feeling that he is going to come," Prudhomme said. "What I sense from the various discussions is that a few weeks ago the team was wondering why he should be at the Tour, and now they are desperately looking for reasons not to put him in the Tour."

Looking beyond the Tour de France, her advice also touches on something less tangible than results or race schedules: freedom. In her view, the instinctive, attacking style that has defined Seixas so far is something worth protecting.

“The carefree nature of youth is something you have to keep as long as possible,” she said. “These are riders who enjoy being on the bike, and I think that’s something you really have to hold on to.”

It is a quality she also sees in Tadej Pogačar, the benchmark for the current generation. “You can see it a bit with Tadej as well,” she added. “I think that’s why he’s able to stay at the top level for so long.”