Big ambitions, but no big pressure: cycling jewel Paul Seixas is looking forward to his eagerly awaited debut at the Tour de France in July.
“I haven’t set myself a specific goal other than to really do my best,” said Seixas at a media round: “There is no certainty. But I believe that I have the ability to achieve great things.”
On Monday, the 19-year-old hopeful confirmed his participation in the Tour of France for the first time, ending weeks of speculation. “We thought about it a long time ago. I saw that I was making progress. But the priority was really to see how my recovery ability developed,” Seixas said.
So now the youngster and his team Decathlon-CMA CGM feel ready, even if it is the first three-week national tour for Seixas. “In the first week I’ll do one more effort that I know. After that we’ll move into a kind of discovery phase. So we’ll see how it goes,” he said.
Tour de France: “Best possible overall placement” in sight
Despite his young age, Seixas had recently caused a sensation among the world’s best and sent France into ecstasy. After impressive victories at the Tour of the Basque Country and at the Flèche Wallonne in Belgium, the shooting star was only defeated by the dominator Pogacar at the spring classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
He now also wants to attack the overall standings on the tour. The plan is to “achieve the best possible overall placement,” said Seixas: “So there will be a strategy not to lose any time on the first stages.”
For 41 years, since Bernard Hinault’s victory in 1985, the cycling-loving French have been waiting for a winner from their own country. Still, Seixas believes he can handle the nation’s hopes and attention. “I think I’m not under pressure. I’m happy to be able to ride the Tour. This is a childhood dream and I’ll enjoy the moment. Sure, it will be hard, that’s the nature of the Tour, but I’m not afraid of that,” said Seixas.
