Tour de France 2026 will be particularly exciting for French fans this year because Paul Seixas has just confirmed he will take part in this summer's edition of the race, his debut at 19 years old. The Decathlon-CMA CGM has become a rising star in road cycling, with many comparing it to Tadej Pogacar, even suggesting that he is better than Pogacar was at his age.
Seixas, born in Lyon on September 24, 2006, is enjoying many successes this year: his first World Tour stage race, the Tour de Basque Country, and his first World Tour one day races: La Flèche Wallonne, biggest win of his career so far, and the Ardèche Classic.
With his victory in the Basque Country, he became the first French male cyclist to win a World Tour stage-race since Christophe Moreau in 2007, and is poised to become the first French cyclist to win Tour de France since Bernard Hinault in 1985.
Tadej Pogacar, who has added new victories this year including his eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Monuments (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège) may continue to be favourite, but Seixas is eight years younger...
