Tour director welcomes rising star Paul Seixas 'whenever he wants' at the Tour de France

“I wouldn’t hold it against Paul Seixas if he didn’t ride the Tour in 2026,” the Tour director told L’Équipe at the route presentation in Paris. “I also feel he’s a real gem. The people around him, his parents and his team, know much better than I do what’s best for him. He’s a gifted rider. He’ll be welcome whenever he wants to come, but I won’t be disappointed if he’s not there next year.”

Seixas has become a name to watch after an impressive end to his 2025 campaign, finishing 13th at the World Championships in Rwanda, third at the European Championships behind Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, and seventh at Il Lombardia. Despite the growing hype, he remains measured about his next steps.

“My biggest dream is to win the Tour de France,” Seixas told L’Équipe earlier this week. “It’s the biggest race for me. But there’s a difference between dreaming and reality. And the reality is to stay grounded. When you plan a race schedule, it has to be smart and coherent. That’s why we haven’t yet decided if I’ll ride the Tour in 2026. We’ve said I’ll do a Grand Tour, but I don’t know which one yet.”

The patience from the Tour’s organiser is echoed by others in the peloton. Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time Tour winner, believes Seixas should wait before taking on the sport’s biggest stage. 

Speaking to RMC during the Andorra Masters exhibition, the Dane praised the young Frenchman’s talent but warned of the pressure that comes with riding the Tour so early. “To be honest, I’d wait if I were him,” Vingegaard said. “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.”

For now, Seixas has time on his side and no rush to answer the Tour’s call, although it remains to be seen how the growing ambitions of Decathlon–CMA CGM, now one of the powerhouses of modern cycling, might shape that path.