French prodigy Paul Seixas lines up climbers’ Classics for 2026 campaign

"My goals are clear: to raise my arms in victory and confirm my progress by giving my best on the bike," said Seixas in a statement released by the French team, confirming he will begin his 2026 campaign at the Volta ao Algarve stage race in Portugal on February 18.

Seixas will then head to the Faun-Ardèche Classic on February 28 before his first major appointment at Strade Bianche on March 7. His spring continues with Itzulia Basque Country (April 6-11) followed by the Ardennes Classics, including La Flèche Wallonne (April 22) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 26).

The 19-year-old and the team have carefully selected races that suit his characteristics, particularly eyeing Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he previously tasted success, winning at junior level in 2024.

"We've built my early season around races where I can really express myself and go for a win. The Ardèche Classic, Strade Bianche, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège are races that are close to my heart and whose profiles suit me," Seixas explained.

The 2025 Tour de l'Avenir winner has already lined up for one monument, finishing an impressive 7th at Il Lombardia at the end of the 2025 season. He has also shown his ability in stage races amongst the professional ranks, finishing 8th at the Critérium du Dauphiné in a race which featured the 2025 Tour de France podium, as well as Remco Evenepoel, making Seixas’s result look even more impressive.

Team manager Sébastien Joly emphasised the careful planning behind Seixas's programme, stating, "Paul's program has been designed to gradually lead him towards his first major goals of the season: Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège."

Joly added that the early races will provide concrete opportunities for victory while building toward bigger objectives. "The Volta ao Algarve and the Ardèche Classic will be concrete opportunities to aim for a victory, while the Tour of the Basque Country will offer him a high-level test before the Ardennes Classics."

"The idea is to build momentum in the first two races before focusing exclusively on WorldTour events, which will be key moments to test myself at the highest level," said Seixas. 

Whilst this announcement doesn’t confirm speculation about a possible Grand Tour debut in 2026 and which race that is likely to be, this early-season program gives a solid indication of what we can expect from the teenage sensation in the opening months of 2026. The big reveal in terms of the rest of the programme will come following this block of racing.

"Paul will be competing in his second WorldTour season; the idea is to offer him a balanced calendar while allowing him to progress against the world's best," Joly concluded. "The rest of his race program will be announced at the beginning of May."