Paul Seixas has not only survived two weeks of racing at the most anticipated Tour de France debut in recent memory, but thrived, as he sits well in the race for the podium in fourth overall, 6:23 behind yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar, but just 25 seconds away from Isaac del Toro in third place.
On stage 15, Seixas unsuccessfully defended the white jersey against the young Mexican star on Plateau de Solaison, but nonetheless reaffirmed that the he has the capacity to compete in a Grand Tour, as he valiantly rode to limit his losses on Sunday.
Seixas was harsh with himself after being joined by his family atop the climb, admitting that he “hesitated too much” when the duo of UAE Team Emirates-XRG leaders started to kick off the action on the 11.3km ascent with Pogačar upping the pace in domestique mode.
By the time they reached the summit, the 19-year-old had lost 58 seconds, but only to Pogačar, Del Toro, and winner Remco Evenepoel. Considering this is the longest race he’s ever done in his career, and that he is the youngest starter in the Tour for 89 years, it’s his strive for perfection that shone through when he spoke at the finish.
“It was very hard. It opened up from very far out. I wanted to manage my effort, so I did the climb at my rhythm,” said Seixas to the army of microphones that surrounded him, only able to part the scrum when he asked if his parents could come through for an embrace.
“I maybe could have pushed a bit harder at certain moments. I hesitated too much. In the end, I still finished strongly. It was still a good climb and I’m still in the mix for the GC, so it’s OK.”
Seixas mania has been exploding into life every day he’s lived up to the massive expectation following him around France these past two weeks, but he’s coming to the business end of the race in the third week, where a time trial and two days to Alpe d’Huez could make or break his debut.
“Overall, I’m happy. I did a good performance, I think. For sure it wasn’t ideal with the puncture at the start. I used up some bullets there – it’s some precious seconds that I could have saved,” said Seixas.
“It’s a shame, but that’s how it is; we see the positives. I’ve succeeded in staying solid for now; I’ve recovered well. I hope that it will be just as good in the third week.
“I did what I could. I hope for a better result, but that’s life. Sometimes there are stronger guys, and they were stronger today, so chapeau to them.”
Seixas has a chance to strike back on Tuesday’s stage 16 in the 26.1km race against the clock to Thonon-les-Bains, where – despite likely not being on the level of Evenepoel or Pogačar in an ITT – his pedigree as a former junior world champion in the discipline could see him take time on Del Toro and move closer to third overall.
The Frenchman has only raced twice against the clock on his own this season, at the Volta ao Algarve, where he finished fourth in a stacked field, and at Itzulia Basque Country, where he won the opening stage to take yellow, beating the likes of current fifth place on GC at the Tour, Florian Lipowitz, by 33 seconds.
Even if Seixas finds the third week too tough and drops in the standings, what he’s shown up to this point at such a young age confirms why the super teams of the peloton are after his long-term signature. But if he continues on his current trajectory and does find his way into that top three, that interest, and indeed his price tag, will only skyrocket further.
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