As France prepares to say au revoir at the end of the final stage of Sunday’s final stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné to Romain Bardet, their standard-bearer in the Tour de France for the best part of a decade, it is becoming quickly acquainted with the precocious talent of 18-year-old Paul Seixas, who jumped two places up the GC in Saturday’s queen stage to Valmeinier 1800.
While it’s still far too early to anoint Seixas as a Grand Tour contender in waiting, it’s rapidly becoming clear that the teenager from Lyon is blessed with extraordinary ability and maturity. These qualities were amply demonstrated on the road to Valmeinier 1800, particularly on the final climb, where Seixas had teammate Bruno Armirail set the pace for him at the front of a yellow jersey group containing Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and several other of the peloton’s superstars.
Speaking to CyclingPro.Net at the stage finish, Seixas admitted that he’d struggled during the day but said that he was delighted with how he had stood up to the challenge of racing with the very best stage racers. “Honestly, I managed it well. It was extremely tough, both mentally and physically,” he said.
