Paul Seixas: Tour de France Winner 2031

[Red Rick]

After seeing how he caught back up to Pog at Strade after missing latters initial launch, I cautiously believed he could withstand a Redoute onslaught if positioned on Slovenians wheel from the beginning and not having to do an extra effort to catch up. In the end he did just that, but RaF proved a bridge too far for now.

At this point in his career it's smarter for him to ride the way he did today, instead of doing a theoretically better tactical moves. He can learn more about his abilities and limits and how far there is still to go this way. He wasn't yet close enough to Pog for tactical wheelsucking to matter today anyway.

It is ofcourse impossible to learn by riding smartly.

Like, most likely he would've been dropped regardless, but absolutely nothing woudl be learned then.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Awesome level. Ladies and gentleman, this is the future king of cycling.

 

[gunara]

I can say "can't wait for the Tour" again now

 

[SHAD0W93]

The prince is inching closer to the crown.

 

[pelotonIQ]

Decathlon no more time to overthink, send the boy to Le Tour. Pogacar is on another level but Seixas can for sure bang it out with Vingegaard.

 

[Tanakka]

Decathlon no more time to overthink, send the boy to Le Tour. Pogacar is on another level but Seixas can for sure bang it out with Vingegaard.

GTs (i.e. three weeks stage races) are a bit of a different animal.

But 'Third' plus 'White Jersey', and perhaps 1 stage, would already be huge.

 

[ppanther92]

Decathlon no more time to overthink, send the boy to Le Tour. Pogacar is on another level but Seixas can for sure bang it out with Vingegaard.

There is anyway no thinking anymore, no? Thats why Gall had to move to the Giro.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I am baited and I am raged.

I know I know. Pogi is a heavyweight cobble-eater nowadays, who can only sprint up mole hills.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Although i am against such young rides competing on such level i am happy for France, finally. That was a good performance today and through the whole season. It will likely be hard to avoid the Tour in 2026 season.

P.S. If Paul joins UAE then the duo can just solo all the time, or should i say they can duo all the time.

 

[ppanther92]

Although i am against such young rides competing on such level

Why?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Although i am against such young rides competing on such level i am happy for France, finally. That was a good performance today and through the whole season. It will likely be hard to avoid the Tour in 2026 season.

P.S. If Paul joins UAE then the duo can just solo all the time, or should i say they can duo all the time.

Paul to join UAE and learn from the GOAT helping him win the 6th Tour in 2027 (like LeMond helped Hinault) while Pogi will promise to return the favour in 2028. However, in 2028 Pogi (like Hinault) will attack Paul at the Tour causing him major problems with the French public on climbs. Should be interesting.

 

[vappa]

(Latest) After today he has good arguments. Pogacar earns 8m - if you want the one guy with the potential to challenge him, there is no way around Seixas. So I honestly get it.

I mean, he could probably say "12 or I walk and go to the highest bidder"

 

[ppanther92]

I mean, he could probably say "12 or I walk and go to the highest bidder"

I also think his leverage is high - if some sponsor wants to put money into cycling (e.g. Decathlon), Pogacar you cannot get, a rider that beats Pogacar you cannot get, a rider that has the theoretical potential to compete with Pogacar - there is only Seixas (or lets say Seixas is by far the only plausible candidate). Plus he is French.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Why?

It's unnatural.

Paul to join UAE and learn from the GOAT helping him win the 6th Tour in 2027 (like LeMond helped Hinault) while Pogi will promise to return the favour in 2028. However, in 2028 Pogi (like Hinault) will attack Paul at the Tour causing him major problems with the French public on climbs. Should be interesting.

Likely Paul will end up at RBH with no support. Luckily he seems to not need it. But still.

 

[vappa]

I also think his leverage is high - if some sponsor wants to put money into cycling (e.g. Decathlon), Pogacar you cannot get, a rider that beats Pogacar you cannot get, a rider that has the theoretical potential to compete with Pogacar - there is only Seixas (or lets say Seixas is by far the only plausible candidate). Plus he is French.

Exactly. You buy Seixas, you basically buy GTs and monuments, in theory. He could demand a fortune basically

 

[ppanther92]

It's unnatural.

Ok, fair - read it as “young guys should not ride at pros” and was wondering why if he is clearly good enough

 

[Lorzenz08]

Although i am against such young rides competing on such level i am happy for France, finally. That was a good performance today and through the whole season. It will likely be hard to avoid the Tour in 2026 season.

P.S. If Paul joins UAE then the duo can just solo all the time, or should i say they can duo all the time.

He will not join UAE.

Paul is now supported by the French state as well. He is a public priority. Even the president got involved.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Lorzenz08

Mbappé eventually joined Real Madrid. Said that i doubt he would sign for UAE till Pogi is on such level and he wouldn't be promised leadership.

 

[bah]

Awesome level. Ladies and gentleman, this is the future king of cycling.

Can't wait. Pogacar redivivus with some Gallic arrogance to boot.

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

It got a bit ignored in the LBL thread, but the plan of Decathlon is to send Paul Seixas to the Tour.
I heard it from a source I can trust (within the team).

I wonder how his TT is?

ps: from his interviews, he seems to be very level-headed, especially for a guy this young.

 

[Netserk]

I wonder how his TT is?

very good , to a degree where it shouldnt really matter in the tour

 

[DogMan2026]

Decathlon no more time to overthink, send the boy to Le Tour. Pogacar is on another level but Seixas can for sure bang it out with Vingegaard.

Odds makers have those two basically at 5 to 1. Maybe a slight edge to Vingegaard.

It will be fun to watch those two battle it out, esp after Vingegaard has a Giro in his legs.

 

[canina82]

Odds makers have those two basically at 5 to 1. Maybe a slight edge to Vingegaard.

It will be fun to watch those two battle it out, esp after Vingegaard has a Giro in his legs.

I'm pretty sure Seixas will drop Vingegaard.

 

[hayneplane]

It got a bit ignored in the LBL thread, but the plan of Decathlon is to send Paul Seixas to the Tour.
I heard it from a source I can trust (within the team).

I wonder how his TT is?

ps: from his interviews, he seems to be very level-headed, especially for a guy this young.

Was a junior world champion at ITT. Given how he smashed the Itzulia ITT the parcours for the TDF ITT this year should suit him well.

 

[hayneplane]

Sensational ride today. Made Pogacar dig deeper than anyone else has managed in a hilly monument for at least 3 years.