Paul Seixas' 2027 Grand Tour plans remain open as Giro tipped to attract ‘two or three’ of cycling’s biggest stars

After a breakthrough season that included fourth place on his Tour de France debut and a historic victory at Il Lombardia, Seixas faces some important decisions about his racing calendar for 2027.

The 20-year-old has already established himself among cycling's biggest talents, but his team is in no hurry to commit him to another appearance at the Tour de France.

Speaking to Ouest-France following Saturday's Lombardia triumph, Decathlon CMA CGM sporting director Julien Jurdie outlined the ambitions for his young leader without committing to a specific Grand Tour.

"Paul likes Strade Bianche. He should again target Monuments such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Lombardia, and naturally the idea will be to aim for a podium in a Grand Tour," Jurdie explained.

"We'll see which Grand Tour he rides."

That final remark leaves the door open to a Giro d'Italia debut in May, rather than a second consecutive appearance at the Tour de France.

One of the biggest considerations in Seixas' programme is likely to be the 2027 UCI Road World Championships.

The men's road race is scheduled for August 29 in Sallanches, France, offering the young Frenchman the opportunity to chase the rainbow jersey on home soil, relatively close to his family's home region.

The timing of the championships creates an interesting dilemma. Unlike the traditional September scheduling, next year's Worlds will take place just over a month after the Tour de France and shortly before the Vuelta a España begins.

For a rider targeting both a Grand Tour podium and the rainbow jersey, the Giro could therefore be an appealing option.

Racing in Italy in May would allow Seixas almost three months to prepare for the World Championships. Competing in the Tour de France, on the other hand, would leave considerably less time to recover and rebuild his form before one of the biggest races of the season.

Nothing has been decided, but the calendar gives Decathlon CMA CGM good reason to seriously consider Italy.

Seixas' victory at Il Lombardia has only increased anticipation surrounding a future confrontation with Tadej Pogačar.

The Slovenian was absent from Saturday's race, but Jurdie believes the prospect of seeing the two riders go head to head has become one of cycling's most intriguing storylines.

"I think everyone now wants to see that battle between Paul and Pogačar," the Decathlon CMA CGM sporting director told Ouest-France.

Jurdie even suggested, jokingly, that Pogačar might have watched Seixas' Lombardia victory and realised he could soon have a serious new challenger on his hands.

For Seixas, the challenge will be to strike the right balance between his ambitions in the Monuments, his development as a Grand Tour contender and the unique opportunity presented by a home World Championships.

And should Seixas decide to make his Giro d'Italia debut, he might find himself facing some of the biggest names in the sport.

During an appearance on the Italian cycling programme Rete8, La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Ciro Scognamiglio was asked about the potential field for the 2027 Giro d'Italia.

More specifically, he was asked how many riders from a group consisting of Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Seixas he expected to see on the start line.

"Between two and three," Scognamiglio replied.

Scognamiglio did not specify which riders he expects to participate, leaving plenty of room for speculation about the potential start list.

The 2027 Giro d'Italia route is set to be unveiled on November 3. Whether the race can attract the star-studded field Scognamiglio anticipates will become clearer in the months that follow.