France can hope for Tour debut of cycling phenom Paul Seixas

Will we see Paul Seixas at the start of the Tour de France this year? Cycling-loving France is eagerly waiting for the Tour debut of the still only 19-year-old stage racer, but Seixas himself is not ready to say anything about it yet. According to sports newspaper L'Équipe, however, the chances are very high.

This all has to do with Seixas’s autumn plans. The new French cycling sensation – already winner of a stage in the Volta ao Algarve and the Faun-Ardèche Classic this year – hopes to shine at the World Championships in Canada.

In the lead-up to the global title fight, Seixas would like to participate in the Canadian WorldTour classics in Québec and Montréal. In the latter race, Seixas will get a prime opportunity to explore the World Championships course.

Vuelta is not an option
A Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España is therefore not an option for Seixas, since the Canadian classics take place on the closing weekend of the Spanish race. According to L'Équipe, the Tour is the most logical Grand Tour for the Decathlon CMA CGM rider.

During the recent Volta ao Algarve, Seixas was asked many questions about the Tour de France and a possible participation. "At this moment, I don't know if the Tour de France will be on my schedule. That’s up to the team, not me," the youngster told, among others, WielerFlits. "So I don't have an answer to that yet."