MADRID — It was the most hotly-anticipated Tour de France debut in decades, but teenage French sensation Paul Seixas was just in his “bubble”.
The 19-year-old talent is France’s greatest hope to end their 41-year wait for a home Tour winner, and join the likes of record five-time victors Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault in claiming the yellow jersey at the Grand Boucle.
But while the whole country waited with baited breath for his first impressions of the Tour after the opening stage in Barcelona, Seixas seemed almost nonplussed by the fuss.
“Of course, it was great but at the end of the day, it’s a time-trial, we’re really in our bubble, so it’s strange,” he said.
Seixas put in a strong finish on the final Montjuic climb to the 19.6km team time-trial to give his Decathlon CMA CGM outfit sixth place on the day.
It left him 10th overall, 39 seconds behind leader Jonas Vingegaard, and 27sec off reigning champion Tadej Pogacar.
“We did well to limit the damage today, I’m happy with how it felt,” Seixas said according to AFP.
At just 19 years of age, Seixas displays a remarkable maturity, and also an ability to block out the frenzy around him.
While warming down on the rollers outside his Decathlon CMA CGM team’s bus after the time-trial, he was already looking forward to what was to come in the next few days – notably the first road stage on Sunday and the first mountainous stage on Friday.
“Tomorrow will be a great stage so of course I’m going to see how the first road stage goes, to feel how it is ridden, to see the fans,” he said.
“There were already a lot of fans today, so that’s nice.”
However, he knows where he is going to come into his own in this race.
“I can’t wait for it to really get going in the mountains,” Seixas said.
“I’m sure everyone is in top form – peak form. I think it’s going to be a great battle.”
