Just three weeks out from his expected debut at the Tour de France, Paul Seixas has abandoned the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
The 19-year-old Frenchman crashed hard on Saturday’s stage seven but mounted an impressive chase back to the front group and then valiantly finished the race, crossing the line 1:21 behind the stage winner Isaac Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
He sported a number of bruises and scratches to his arms, legs and hands upon finishing the stage, but declared that he would be at the start of Sunday’s stage eight.
The Decathlon CMA CGM teenager did indeed sign on in Beaufort, but he was dropped on the day’s first climb, the Col du Pré. Following the descent he hopped into his team’s car.
It is the first race he has abandoned mid-stage in his young professional career. How this will affect his build-up to the Tour will become clearer in the coming days.
The Lyon-born rider has emerged as France’s greatest hope to finally end their long barren run without a home Tour de France winner after winning Itzulia Basque Country, La Fléche Wallonne, and finishing second to Tadej Pogačar at both Strade Bianche and Liége-Bastogne-Liége.
He was the main favourite to win the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes – previously called the Critérium du Dauphiné – and was well-positioned to do so going into the final weekend, sitting seventh overall and 32 seconds shy of Matteo Jorgenson in fourth. Luke Tuckwell of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe was the surprise leader but was not expected to win the overall title.
