Former French great Romain Bardet has urged media and fans alike not to have overly high expectations regarding up-and-coming talent Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and what he can achieve in the short term.
Just 19 years old, Seixas is already being touted in some quarters as a future Bernard Hinault, capable of returning French cycling to the giddy heights of the 1980s. Wins in the 2025 Tour de l’Avenir as well as a third place in the UEC European Championships road race behind established stars Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, have all helped add fuel to the bonfire of speculation about Seixas’ potential.
However, as Bardet – who also had that mantle of future greatness thrust upon him ever after he took podium finishes in the Tour de France and Critérium du Dauphiné in 2016 – pointed out, it was best to give Seixas a chance to develop at his own pace without that added pressure.
Referring to the speculation surrounding Tadej Pogačar and his less-than-normal levels of gung-ho racing spirit in the third week of the 2025 Tour – although that later emerged to be due to a knee injury – Bardet continued, “We saw that with Pogacar and the weariness that perhaps sets in during the Tour de France.”
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