It was as if the clanging of bells around the cows’ necks had called the people to worship. At the summit of Le Markstein, on an open, grassy patch of the Vosges mountains, fans held French tricolours in one hand, and slapped the hoardings in front of the podium ceremony with the other. “Seixas!” they chanted. Thud, thud, thud. In unison again: “Seixas!” Thud, thud, thud.
They watched as Tadej Pogačar, this year’s Tour de France champion in waiting, stepped onto the stage three times – first as the winner of stage 14, then to collect his yellow jersey, and again for the polka dot jersey – but they only really cheered him out of politeness. Their hero was on his way. “He’s just confirmed his talent,” the voice over the loud speakers began, setting off a roar. “In just a few moments, your new white jersey, Paul Seixas!” And the volume went up another notch.
Underneath a gazebo behind the podium, the 19-year-old spun his legs on a turbo trainer. He could hear the chanting and thumping, but with a week still to go, his recovery was paramount. Never before had he been this deep into a race; in fact, prior to this month, the most stages he’d done in a row was eight. And still, somehow, as he heads deeper into the unknown, he only appears to be getting stronger.
Third on Saturday’s mountains feast, Seixas moved from sixth to fourth overall, and into the white jersey – the race’s youngest starter, also its best young rider.
The results, however, barely told the story. Funnelling through the thousands that lined the curtain-closing Col du Haag, Seixas had thrilled the home crowds as he went in pursuit of two multiple-time Tour winners in Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard.
He might not have caught the former, but on the false flat that led to the line, he dashed beyond Vingegaard, onto the wheel of Isaac del Toro, and gapped the Dane by six seconds.
If there were any Seixas doubters left before Saturday, they watched that sprint with their jaws on the floor. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider is now an undeniable podium contender – 15 seconds off Remco Evenepoel in third, 49 off Vingegaard in second – and the gap is coming down.
“I felt great, honestly,” Seixas said after the stage. “I want to thank the team for the work they did; they put me in the right place and it was the right pace for me. Of course, you have to be strong in the head. I just managed my effort, and I was feeling strong.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Some wondered how the race’s youngest starter in 89 years would manage the toll of his first Grand Tour. Yes, he’d won Itzulia Basque Country in April, but that was only six days long, and the intensity, particularly from the media, was far less.
In Le Markstein on Saturday, journalists waited for Seixas in four heaving scrums along the barrier of the mixed zone. He stopped before each one, addressing them all, unfazed by the cameras and microphones thrust in his face.
“I’m just enjoying the moment and not putting too much pressure on myself,” he said.
“Of course there was an unknown element about these two to three weeks of racing. But it’s worth reminding that we’re professional riders, we train really hard, we do altitude training camps for three weeks, and they don’t kill us.
“I think I’ve also got the volume, I’ve done more volume than last year, and I’m managing to recover. For the moment, all’s good.”
They’re words that are unlikely to inspire confidence in Evenepoel or Vingegaard, both of whose podium places the Frenchman has in his sights.
Pogačar, too, though more than five minutes ahead, is also careful not to underestimate Seixas. “He’s a contender, that’s for sure, and a truly great champion,” the world champion said after his victory on stage 14.
“He’s already a very good leader in his team, which is very strong and works very well for him. The public loves him. He’s the next French hope, so protect him and he’ll shine one day.”
For Seixas and the French fans, that day is already here. “It’s incredible, honestly. I’m living a dream,” the teenager told reporters.
“For the moment, it’s better than I expected, but of course the main goal was to keep my form, keep my shape from the start to the end. I know what I’m able to do. Today I really proved that I could do it after two weeks of racing.”
Before the second rest day, Seixas will face another test on Sunday in the Plateau de Solaison, the race’s first hors catégorie summit finish. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he smiled.
With a time trial and the Alps still to come, how far does he think he can go? “Honestly, I don’t know for the moment,” he said. “I guess we’ll see tomorrow if it goes like this. But for the moment I’m doing the best I can. We’ll see.”
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