Even before his imposing ride over the white gravel roads of Tuscany at last weekend's Strade Bianche, Paul Seixas was sending French cycling fans into a frenzy about his ever-increasing ceiling. When Cyclingnews spoke to him last October, the 19-year-old confirmed that he would be riding a Grand Tour in 2026, but didn't offer up any clues as to whether it would be the Tour de France or not.
Since then, French cycling's hopes for Seixas have only risen, with long-standing Groupama-FDJ United Manager Marc Madiot crowning him as "the chosen one" on RMC Radio after his Faun-Ardèche Classic solo victory last month.
Add to that his second-place finish in Italy last weekend, behind an untouchable and record-breaking Tadej Pogačar; the optimism that many have, and the Decathlon CMA CGM rider's share price, have both grown.
Unsurprisingly, this has led many to question whether the Tour is the three-week race that should be on his programme, given his rapid development.
But is that a step too soon for French cycling's star-in-the-making? Nine-time Monument winner and Cyclingnews columnist, Sean Kelly, believes so.
Writing in his post-Strade Bianche column on Monday, the Irishman heaped praise on his debut performance at the Italian one-day race, but didn't sit on the fence regarding the idea of the 19-year-old tackling the Tour this season.
"I'm aware that his strong early-season form immediately raises the question of whether he should be racing at the Tour de France," he started.
"The French press and the cycling fanbase will naturally put pressure on him given his current trajectory," Kelly added, while highlighting riders from previous generations – such as Charly Mottet and Jean-François Bernard – to falter under similar scrutiny.
"I'm firmly against the idea, though."
Seixas' team should proceed with caution this season, the five-time Tour de France stage winner urged, especially considering what an event like the Tour, and the circus that comes with it, can do to a French rider performing well.
"It would be the wrong thing to do to send Seixas to the Tour this year, and I hope that Decathlon CMA CGM have patience.
"When you put a guy like that into the Tour, with his character of racing, he's going to get into the action. You can't send a rider into a race for a week to gain experience," Kelly explained.
He insisted that Seixas' focus should remain on his immediate race calendar, which includes the Itzulia Basque Country stage race, alongside La Flèche Wallonne and a potential rematch with Pogačar at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Whether Seixas and Decathlon then turn their attention to a Tour de France appearance remains to be seen.
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