Super talent Paul Seixas stuns with bronze behind Pogacar and Evenepoel: ‘A childhood dream come true’

“I still don’t think it’s sunk in,” Seixas smiled afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net. “To be on the podium with riders like that... it’s a childhood dream. And today, that dream came true.”

Cheered on by roaring home crowds on the steep slopes of the Côte de Saint-Romain-de-Lerps and the explosive Côte de Val d’Enfer, Seixas rode with intelligence and heart. While his teammate Romain Grégoire was France’s main card early on, Seixas stayed calm in the chase group behind Pogačar's attack. “I didn’t pull at first because my team was still chasing behind,” he explained. “Some riders weren’t too happy about that, but that’s racing.”

Once it became clear the peloton was not coming back, the young Frenchman was given the green light. “From the moment they told me to ride, I gave everything. Remco was up the road, and if I didn’t work, we would have been caught. From then on, I knew I had to fight for this medal with everything inside me.”

In the closing kilometres, Seixas fought a brutal duel with Italy’s Christian Scaroni for the final podium spot. “I don’t even know how many times I attacked,” he laughed. “I was completely on the limit and just kept going. When I saw I had twenty metres, it gave me a huge boost, but I was still scared he’d come back, especially in a sprint. So I tore myself apart to stay away.”

It paid off. Seixas held on for third, greeted by deafening cheers as he crossed the line, fists clenched and tears in his eyes. “The crowd pushed me to my absolute limits,” he said. “They carried me through every metre. I’ll never forget this day.”

Next up is Il Lombardia, where Seixas will once more test himself against the best. But after Sunday's ride, one thing is certain: Paul Seixas is no longer just the future of French cycling, he is part of its present.