Paul Seixas is already at the center of transfer negotiations, and it couldn't be any different. The debut among the professionals of the 19-year-old Frenchman from Lyon has been impressive, finishing third at the 2025 European Championships behind Pogacar and Evenepoel, and second at the 2026 Strade Bianche beaten only by Tadej. The sirens of mega-deals have already started sounding, and there has been talk of interest from Pogacar's UAE Emirates XRG, who would have identified him as a possible heir to the Slovenian in the grand tours. But at the same time his team, Decathlon-CMA CGM, is not sitting idle. Dominique Serieys, general manager of Decathlon, has described Seixas as a rider with "extraordinary qualities", and explained that his ambitious team "will do everything" to extend his contract (certainly also with a substantial salary increase). France hasn't won the Tour de France since 1985 with Bernard Hinault, and after the precedents of Bardet and Pinot, all attention is now on Seixas.

According to L'Équipe, Decathlon has meanwhile reached an agreement with Pavel Sivakov, one of Tadej Pogacar's closest lieutenants, to join in 2027 with Seixas. The son of former Russian coach Alexei Sivakov, naturalized French and a pillar of the French national team, was instrumental in helping Seixas secure bronze at the European Championships and would be an important reinforcement. The team, whose historic core includes Belgians Naesen, Benoot, Dewulf, De Pestel, Ghys and Pollefliet, is also evaluating the signing of another Frenchman, Jordan Jegat, 10th at the 2025 Tour, whose contract with TotalEnergies is expiring.