Paul Seixas: Tour de France Winner 2031

[Gigs_98]

When did the French last have a truly great mainstream sportsman? Thierry Henry?

Victor Wembanyama will be one of the worlds most famous sportspeople very soon

 

[CyclistAbi]

Zizou is rather famous.

 

[Sciatic]

Victor Wembanyama will be one of the worlds most famous sportspeople very soon

Excellent point!

 

[Old-school]

Victor Wembanyama will be one of the worlds most famous sportspeople very soon

Very good point. I was waiting for the moment when someone would finally quote him 😀
Nothing to do with, but imagine the look on the shopkeeper's face when Wemby walks into a bike shop to buy a racing bike. "Hmm, let's see what we can do, but it's gonna complicated....."

 

[RobertCrawley]

When is the team going to decide whether Seixas rides the Tour?

 

[RobertCrawley]

Victor Wembanyama will be one of the worlds most famous sportspeople very soon

Deeply intelligent, interesting, gregarious, dedicated to his art, and one of the best basketball players in the NBA.

Barring injury (knock on wood), he will conquer the world.

 

[Alexandre B.]

When is the team going to decide whether Seixas rides the Tour?

After Liège.

 

[RobertCrawley]

After Liège.

Thanks!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

When is the team going to decide whether Seixas rides the Tour?

They did probably in december.

 

[Coppi-Bartali]

I think they decided a while ago that he'll go to the Tour. They just want to generate expectation.

Just as I think they've known for a while that he'll renew, that's why they signed Sivakov as his domestique, but they need this narrative to justify they move to Switzerland.

 

[Keldergoat]

When did the French last have a truly great mainstream sportsman? Thierry Henry?

I'd argue that if there is a country in Europe that can't complain about absolute superstars in male sports, it's France. Wemby and Mbappe are all best-in-class in massive sports. Add Dupont, Riner, Marchand and Seixas to that list, although these sports are smaller, and you have quite a list. Don't think Germany or England can match that at the moment. My country has two, though a fun fact is that neither of them ever lived in the Netherlands.

 

[Brullnux]

My country has two, though a fun fact is that neither of them ever lived in the Netherlands.

It's a common misconception but Xavi Simons did live in the Netherlands during his early childhood.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Poor Seixas, now we are discussing Xavi Simmons.

 

[BahamontesPhantom]

I'd argue that if there is a country in Europe that can't complain about absolute superstars in male sports, it's France. Wemby and Mbappe are all best-in-class in massive sports. Add Dupont, Riner, Marchand and Seixas to that list, although these sports are smaller, and you have quite a list. Don't think Germany or England can match that at the moment. My country has two, though a fun fact is that neither of them ever lived in the Netherlands.

Mbappe yes, I don’t know Wemby.
England have Kane who is better than Mbappe , and nobody really cares about Kane in England, maybe that’s what I meant. Not like Henry who was a sensation and the fans loved him.
France have Dembélé too though, I forgot about him.

 

[cafe_rider]

What are "mainstream sports" though. Football is really the only truly global game and Mbappe is not the biggest star there but is pretty close. Other than that basketball is pretty much next and Wemby is similarly a top 5 superstar. I do not think you can put Seixas up with Marchand and Dupont as they are really "best in world" in sports with smaller audiences but future potential is there. Tennis and Golf are likely the only other big global sports and Alcaraz is not at the Federer/ Nadal level yet and McIlroy really the only globally known golfer. In athletics it is Mondo really as the only known "brand" - always a good tell when there is a single word name - Mondo. Wemby, Pog

 

[Keldergoat]

It's a common misconception but Xavi Simons did live in the Netherlands during his early childhood.

I was referring to MvdP and Verstappen. No effing way that Xavi Simons is allowed to be even mentioned in this debate.

@ Bahamontes. Wemby is in the MVP debates with Jokic and SGA; that's quite astonishing for a player in his third NBA season. Seixas is not among the 5 most famous cyclists yet, but with this trajectory, he will be in 2028. Kane might be having a better season than Mbappe, but I'd rank Mbappe higher, having excelled in two World Cup finals is something special.

 

[rallybanana]

What are "mainstream sports" though. Football is really the only truly global game and Mbappe is not the biggest star there but is pretty close. Other than that basketball is pretty much next and Wemby is similarly a top 5 superstar. I do not think you can put Seixas up with Marchand and Dupont as they are really "best in world" in sports with smaller audiences but future potential is there. Tennis and Golf are likely the only other big global sports and Alcaraz is not at the Federer/ Nadal level yet and McIlroy really the only globally known golfer. In athletics it is Mondo really as the only known "brand" - always a good tell when there is a single word name - Mondo. Wemby, Pog

Football, boxing, tennis and formula 1 are probably the only sports that have consistently produced globally known superstars. Athletics also but that's only because of the olympics (although you could argue that athletics is the olympics). But it's not the 1970s anymore where there was only a handful of major sports events on TV or radio and everyone knew the big stars. I don't think Wemby (who I never heard of before yesterday) will be famous outside of USA, France and the global basketball community.