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Decathlon CMA CGM Names 19-Year-Old Paul Seixas to the 2026 Tour de France

The call-up signals a break from cycling’s usual slow path to the Tour.

Overview

  • Seixas confirmed in a team video Monday that he will start his first Grand Tour at the Tour de France, which begins July 4 in Barcelona.
  • He will be the youngest rider to start the race since 1937 at 19 years, 9 months and 10 days.
  • To prepare, the team set a June 7–14 run at the Tour Auvergne‑Rhône‑Alpes and mapped a post‑Tour slate in Canada before a likely Worlds bid in Montréal and the Tour of Lombardy on October 10.
  • He and his team said the choice was made together, and he plans to chase the best possible overall placing rather than treat the three‑week race as a learning ride.
  • A seven‑win spring that included Flèche Wallonne and the Tour of the Basque Country fueled the decision, while reactions split between praise from Tour director Christian Prudhomme and caution from veteran Cyrille Guimard.