Paul Seixas is the new symbol of French cycling. At 19, he finished seventh in the Giro di Lombardia, an extraordinary event because he is the youngest rider in history to enter the top 10 in his first Monument Classic. But that's not all, because the young man from Lyon finished third at the European Championships behind Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel and managed to cross the finish line at the World Cycling Championship in Rwanda, where only 30 riders completed the race. Standing 185 centimeters tall and weighing just 61 kg, he is a slender athlete with a boyish face. The Lyon native wanted to learn and gain experience in this 2025 and dreams of winning the Tour de France.

"The first race I won was when I was 8 or 9 years old, in Bourg-en-Bresse. It was the first one I participated in," Seixas recounted. "I drove my family crazy because none of them followed cycling, so they didn't understand my passion. I had to insist and prove that I could do this sport, and in the end, I was right."

He's only 19, but he already behaves like an experienced man, with a high sense of responsibility. Seixas has clear ideas and knows what he wants from his future. He likes Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race he had never seen live when he was a child, but won in the junior category. He won the Tour de l'Avenir and his biggest dream is to race and possibly win the Tour de France.

"The dream, obviously, is to race the Tour de France. It's the most important race for me. But there's the dream and reality, and reality means staying balanced. When creating a race schedule, it must be intelligent, which is why we haven't yet decided if I'll participate in the Tour in 2026. We said we would do a grand tour, but I don't know which one. Among the classics, Liège-Bastogne-Liège will come next year, I've already won this race as a junior. I'd like to try Strade Bianche, but I don't know if it will be possible. I want to race Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico, because these are races that give you experience."

Seixas doesn't want to resemble anyone and doesn't want to amaze with his results and knows he'll have to take it step by step to achieve important results. "I don't compare myself too much to other cyclists. I prefer to focus on what I do. I'm young, my progress is different from a 25 or 26-year-old athlete. I know my body is young and needs to develop. I have a long way to go and I always try to do my best, but I know I have room for improvement because my body is still growing."

The Lyon native is used to giving interviews, and the media circus doesn't bother him. He's satisfied with his season and only regrets the World Championship in Africa, where he thought he could do better. Seixas knows he's a future talent and therefore must take his time to avoid mistakes, and he doesn't consider criticisms that aren't constructive and never expects to please everyone.

"There are many great talents who are celebrated, and the media get excited very quickly. In the end, it's easier to be the best of a generation rather than the best of all generations. But you must also consider the quality of the generation, which can influence opinions. The most important thing is to give your best, and if my best career result will be a fifth place at the Tour de France, then it will be a fifth place at the Tour de France. But I'll do everything possible to achieve my best possible result."