French cycling fans have been longing for decades for a compatriot who can follow Bernard Hinault as Tour de France winner. With the 19-year-old top talent Paul Seixas, a potential candidate now seems to have emerged, but the recently retired Romain Bardet warns. He fears that too much pressure will be placed on Seixas.
“There is a certain hysteria that worries me a bit," says Bardet to Ouest France. The runner-up in the 2016 Tour de France points out that it is crucial for young riders to preserve their enthusiasm. “You have to remember that a career may seem short, but it is also long. The hardest thing in cycling is maintaining that carefree attitude. We see that with Pogačar, who perhaps started to show some fatigue during the Tour.”
According to Bardet, Seixas is not the only young talent facing a lot of pressure. “Nowadays, young riders must meet an expectation level when turning pro that is so much higher than during our generation," says the former rider of, among others, Picnic PostNL. "You see this reflected in the performances they already must deliver at a very young age. That aspect, and the mental pressure that comes with it, can affect long-term motivation.”
Variety and Caution
Responding to the rumor that Seixas will debut in a Grand Tour as early as 2026, Bardet also advocates caution. In addition, he advises maintaining enough variety in the race programme. “In the WorldTour, we rode the same races five, six, seven, or ten times. No variety. But you have to keep that freshness over the years.”
"It's good to keep that sense of wonder in the first years of your career when discovering new races, gradually building up the number of races you ride. Paul should still want to race in two or three years’ time events he hasn’t ridden before.”
