Jonas Vingegaard: 'If I were him, I’d wait' as Seixas weighs up a Tour de France debut

Speaking to RMC during the Andorra Masters exhibition, Vingegaard said he admired the new wave of prodigies but urged patience before taking on the sport’s biggest race. “It’s incredible to see how many young riders are already performing at the top level,” he said.

He has a point. Isaac Del Toro, only 21, finished the season among the world’s top three. Paul Magnier, also 21, claimed 19 victories, while Matthew Brennan, just 20, took 12. Albert Withen Philipsen, runner-up in Tre Valli Varesine and third at Paris–Tours, is still only 19.

And then there is Paul Seixas. The 19-year-old Frenchman from Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale has become the focus of a nation longing for a new Hinault. After winning the Tour de l’Avenir and finishing inside the top ten at both the Dauphiné and Lombardia, as well as taking bronze at the European Championships, the question is no longer if he will ride a Grand Tour, but which one.

Seixas confirmed earlier this week that he will take part in a Grand Tour next season, though the Tour de France is not yet certain. “Of course my dream is to ride the Tour de France,” he said on RMC’s Super Moscato Show. “I think we’ll do one of the three Grand Tours next season, that’s already decided. But there are other factors to consider. The Tour brings a lot of media pressure.”

Despite his calm tone, Seixas has made no secret of his ambition. “My goal is to win the Tour de France,” he said earlier. “I still have time, and I still need to improve, but we’ll see when I can take part. The age difference with Pogačar is still big. That means we’re not from the same generation, and at some point he’ll decline before I do. But the goal isn’t to beat him when he’s declining, it’s to beat him at his best.”

Those words have caught the attention of Jonas Vingegaard, who knows exactly what it means to live under Tour pressure. “To be honest, I’d wait if I were him,” said the Dane. “As a Frenchman, probably the biggest talent in France, he’s going to be under a lot of pressure if he rides. Maybe it’s better for him to wait a few years until he’s really ready.”

At Visma | Lease a Bike, Vingegaard has seen young talents up close, including Matthew Brennan and Jørgen Nordhagen, both viewed as future leaders. The team has taken a patient approach, something the Dane believes is vital. “I don’t know Seixas personally,” he said, “but I know he has a lot of talent, and in that case it might be better for him to wait.”

For all the talk of precocity, Vingegaard’s message is clear: talent is one thing, timing another. In cycling’s race to the top, sometimes the smartest move is to slow down.