Paul Seixas 'ready to give everything' as Tour de France debut confirmed, becoming youngest rider at race in 89 years
Published 29/06/2026 at 15:48 GMT+1
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Paul Seixas said he will "give everything" to succeed at his debut Tour de France after he was named in the Decathlon-CMA CGM team, alongside Olav Kooij, Tiesj Benoot, Aurelien Paret-Peintre, Nicolas Prodhomme, Cees Bol, Daan Hoole and Matthew Riccitello.
Teen sensation Seixas becomes youngest La Fleche Wallonne winner on debut
Video credit: TNT Sports
Seixas, 19, will become the youngest starter at the Tour in 89 years, with expectations high after a remarkable breakthrough year.
It was originally announced in May that Seixas would ride the Tour, but a crash at the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes put his participation in doubt.
Seixas has been tipped by many as the next challenger to Tadej Pogacar, who is the favourite to win the Tour de France for a record-equalling fifth time.
There has not been a French winner of the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985, but Seixas says he is hoping to "play an active role in the race" on his debut.
"After my crash and withdrawal from the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, I was able to resume my preparation for the Tour de France almost as planned, with a few adjustments to some training sessions because of my injuries," he said.
"With five days to go until the Grand Depart, I feel ready to give everything I have over these three weeks and achieve the best result possible.
"I am not setting myself a more specific goal because I am heading into the unknown, having never raced an event this long and demanding before.
"I hope I can play an active role in the race, continue to improve, and enjoy the experience along the way. It is the race I have always dreamed of, and I know how fortunate I am to be taking part in it so early in my career."
Decathlon's general manager, Dominique Serieys, said: "We approach the Tour with ambition, but also with humility, determined to build on the progress we have made over the past few seasons.
"We have built a strong, well-balanced, and united team, featuring riders with the profiles needed to achieve our objectives.
"Paul Seixas will make his Tour de France debut as part of this group, aiming to deliver the best possible result while continuing his development and gaining valuable experience.
"Olav Kooij, who will also be making his first appearance in the Tour de France, will have several opportunities to showcase his sprinting speed in the bunch finishes.
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"With this lineup, the team led by Luke Rowe, who will be making his Grand Tour debut as a sports director, will target the general classification while also aiming to claim at least one stage victory whenever the opportunity arises."
Seixas, having impressively won the Tour of the Basque Country and La Fleche Wallonne earlier this year, will be amongst the riders to watch at this year's Tour de France - with all the action live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
The race begins in Barcelona on July 4, before concluding in Paris on July 26.
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