At just 19 years old, Paul Seixas has become the sensation of the Tour de France. The youngest rider since 1937, he currently sits fourth overall, only 20 seconds behind third-placed Isaac Del Toro. With Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz out, a podium is within reach.
Former Tour riders are impressed. Sandy Casar, a three-stage winner, said: ‘He surprises everyone. It’s his first grand tour and what he’s doing is beautiful.’ Pierre Rolland added: ‘He’s made no mistakes; he’s where we expected him.’ Their praise follows Seixas’s strong performance in the individual time trial, where he finished 4th.
The decisive Alpine stages loom, featuring the legendary Alpe d’Huez. Experts believe the mountains suit Seixas. ‘He’s shown he can follow Pogacar in climbs,’ noted Casar. However, the team acknowledges a ‘monstrous battle’ ahead.
Seixas’s maturity sets him apart. ‘The stress seems to bypass him,’ said Casar. Team manager Pierre Latour echoed this: ‘He impresses with his serenity.’ As the Tour enters its final week, France watches a potential star being born.
Article and image source: sudouest.fr
