‘There is nothing normal about Paul Seixas’: Decathlon cautious as teenager enters uncharted territory at Tour de France

Paul Seixas has made an immediate impression during the opening week of his Tour de France debut.

The Decathlon CMA CGM leader finished fourth at Les Angles and fifth on the mountain stage to Gavarnie Gèdre. He starts stage 9 in sixth place overall, 3:55 behind race leader Tadej Pogačar and only 28 seconds behind Isaac del Toro in third.

Those results have increased the attention around Seixas, although sports director Julien Jurdie is keeping the team’s focus on the days ahead.

Stage 9 will be the first time Seixas has raced for more than eight consecutive days.

“We are entering completely new territory,” Jurdie told Cyclism'Actu. “Tomorrow is the ninth stage and he has never done more than eight stages in his young career. We must remember that he is only 19 years old."

“We are going to discover a new world with him. We will help him and make sure everything goes well. There is no reason why it should not, but we still need to be careful.”

Seixas is the youngest rider in this year’s Tour and the youngest to start the race since Adrien Cento in 1937.

His first week has already included two strong results on difficult terrain. Jurdie admitted that performances of that level are difficult to treat as routine.

“I do not know whether normal is the right word,” he said. “At 19 years old, he is sixth overall in the Tour de France. He finished fifth on a Pyrenean stage and fourth on another stage earlier in the Tour.

“There is nothing normal about what Paul Seixas is doing.”

Decathlon will have to guide Seixas through another demanding day before Monday’s first rest day.

The route from Malemort to Ussel has been shortened from 185.5 kilometres to 155.5 kilometres after the Corrèze department was placed on red alert because of the heatwave.

The reduced distance does not make the stage straightforward. The roads are narrow in places and the terrain remains difficult to control. Temperatures are expected to reach between 37 and 39 degrees.

“It is a very unusual stage because it is extremely undulating, with some very narrow roads,” Jurdie said.

“We have had this heat for more than a week, so the riders’ bodies are tired. It is beginning to feel long, both mentally and physically.

“There could be many different scenarios on a roller coaster route like this. The riders will decide how hard the race becomes, whether that is in the peloton or through the breakaway. We could see some big battles, so we need to be very vigilant with Paul.”

Jurdie said the stage could pass without major changes to the general classification. He is also aware that the combination of heat, fatigue and difficult roads could produce a far less controlled race.

“It could be a stage where nothing happens, or it could become a crazy stage,” he said. “We will speak again tomorrow evening and perhaps nothing will have happened, but I prefer to be cautious.”

So far, Seixas appears to be handling the physical demands of his first Grand Tour well.

“His sensations are good and his recovery has been good,” Jurdie said. “We will make a proper assessment after stage 9, but for now everything is looking positive. Paul is doing very well.”

Seixas is still wearing bandages following injuries sustained before the Tour. Jurdie said they are being used to protect the wounds and are not affecting his performance.

“The bandages are purely a precaution so the wounds can heal properly,” he said. “With the perspiration and everything else, it is better to cover them than leave them exposed. We are taking good care of him and there are no medical concerns.”

The attention around Seixas has also grown throughout the opening week. Politicians, public figures and other visitors have regularly arrived at the Decathlon team bus hoping to meet him.

“He is becoming an important figure in French sport, so naturally people want to see him and speak to him,” Jurdie said. “That is the price of fame.

“He is getting used to it, but we are also trying to protect him. There will be plenty of time after the Tour to enjoy those things. Right now, he needs to stay focused. We have to pay attention to everything happening around Paul.”