At just 19 years old, Paul Seixas has already become one of the most talked-about names in world cycling. His outstanding performance at Strade Bianche 2026, where he finished second behind an otherworldly Tadej Pogačar, has put the spotlight on a talent who, until a few months ago, was known only to insiders. Now, however, the young French rider from the Decathlon–CMA CGM Team has officially arrived on the big stage of professional cycling.
Seixas didn’t just try to hang on: he attacked, tried to close the gap to Pogačar and even managed to latch onto the Slovenian’s wheel for a few kilometres before finally yielding to the world champion’s relentless pace. But that brief spell riding side by side with Pogi was enough to reveal the young rider’s qualities: courage, composure, race intelligence and a natural ability to handle the bike on gravel that simply can’t be taught.
