Paul Seixas no longer doubts he belongs with cycling’s elite ahead of Worlds

The 19-year-old Decathlon CMA CGM leader will race the Grand Prix de Québec on Friday before taking on the Grand Prix de Montréal on Sunday, with both events forming an important part of his final preparation for the World Championships later this month.

Speaking to L’Équipe in Québec on Wednesday, Seixas said the two races would provide the first real indication of how successful his recent preparation has been.

“I feel ready, but the best test will be the race,” Seixas said. “There is determination and energy, and that is what you need at the end of a season. That is when it makes the difference.

“I am very motivated. It will not be easy because there is a lot of competition. It is good to be able to measure myself against them. It will be a good test to validate the preparation.”

Confidence is no longer the issue for one of the biggest young talents in the peloton.

After an extraordinary 2026 season, Seixas believes he has already answered the question of whether he belongs at the highest level.

“I have more confidence in myself now,” he told L’Équipe. “I know that at my best, I can be competitive against the best.

“Tadej Pogačar is not here, but there will still be some of the best riders in the world.”

The two Canadian races offer very different challenges, and Seixas believes Sunday’s race in Montréal is the one that fits him best.

“Québec is quite open, for the puncheurs, and I know what the race is like,” he said. “Montréal is different and probably suits me better. It is more physical.

“When it comes down more to what you can do on the bike, that is better for me. Montréal will be more favourable for my profile.”

That makes the weekend particularly significant with the World Championships also taking place in Montréal later this month. The elite time trial is scheduled for September 20, followed by the road race on September 27.

In additional comments reported by WielerFlits, the French prodigy reflected on the support he received during the Tour de France and how much life around him has changed since.

“Looking back at it, it was actually pretty crazy,” he said. “There were so many people cheering for me, and of course for the other French riders as well.

“That passion from the French fans is special. It gives me a boost every day and the strength to keep fighting until the end.”

The increased recognition has followed him beyond the race itself, although Seixas insists it has done little to change his everyday life.

“After the Tour it is obviously even more noticeable, and really after my whole season, which has already been pretty incredible,” he said.

“The way people approach me is different from before. But it does not change my life. I mostly keep doing the things I enjoy doing.”n Les Arcs to be ready for this. Now we have to see on Friday and Sunday what that looks like on the road."