The professional cycling world has a new name to reckon with following a historic performance in Spain. Paul Seixas, a 19-year-old French phenom, has secured his first World Tour victory, signaling a potential shift in the hierarchy of the sport’s next generation.
Riding for the Decathlon CMA CGM Team, Seixas delivered a commanding performance to win the opening stage of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country. The victory is not merely a win for the young rider, but a statement of intent, as he outpaced some of the most decorated veterans in the peloton to claim the leader’s jersey in one of the most challenging regions of the cycling calendar.
The win marks a rapid ascent for the Lyon-born athlete, who has transitioned from a dominant junior career to the pinnacle of professional road racing with remarkable speed. By capturing a WorldTour stage win at 19, Seixas joins an elite group of young riders capable of dominating the highest level of the sport shortly after turning professional.
Dominance in Bilbao: Breaking Down the Stage 1 Time Trial
The opening stage of the Itzulia Basque Country featured a grueling 13.8km hilly time trial course in Bilbao. Seixas produced what his team described as a “flawless” effort, not only winning the stage but sweeping all the classification jerseys on the awards podium, including the prestigious leader’s jersey of the 2026 Itzulia Basque Country.
The margin of victory was particularly striking given the quality of the opposition. Seixas finished 23 seconds ahead of Kévin Vauquelin of Ineos Grenadiers. He also held a 27-second gap over Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and a 28-second lead over two-time race winner Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
Further down the standings, other heavyweights struggled to keep pace. Juan Ayuso of Lidl-Trek finished 51 seconds behind the young Frenchman, whereas former champion Ion Izagirre of Cofidis trailed by 1 minute and 1 second.
Despite the magnitude of the win, Seixas remained humble about the result. “I’m thrilled. What we have is the result I was hoping for, of course, but I didn’t expect to win by such a margin,” Seixas said in a team statement, describing the day as “a wonderful surprise.” He noted that the victory was the culmination of hard work with his coach and team that began during his junior years.
From Lyon to the World Stage: The Rise of a Prodigy
The victory in Bilbao is the latest milestone in a career defined by early success. Born on September 24, 2006, in Lyon, France, Seixas first displayed his talent at age 8 with the local club Lyon Sprint Évolution (LSE), where he won numerous age-range categories between the ages of 9 and 14 according to his biographical records.
His trajectory toward the professional ranks accelerated through a series of high-performance amateur teams, including VC Villefranche Beaujolais (2021–2023), the AG2R Citroën U19 Team (2023–2024), and La Motte–Servolex Cyclisme U19 in 2024.
Seixas first gained international attention on the global stage in 2024 when he won the junior time trial at the UCI Road World Championships. He continued his momentum into 2025, where he achieved a significant milestone by becoming the youngest rider ever to finish in the top 10 of a UCI World Tour stage race, placing 8th overall in the Critérium du Dauphiné at just 18 years old.
A Unique Athletic Pedigree
While Seixas is now a force in cycling, his athletic foundation is rooted in a different discipline. Both of his parents, Emmanuel and Emmanuelle Seixas, were competitive karate athletes. His father, Emmanuel, reached the elite levels of the sport, finishing as the runner-up in the French national championships.
Seixas’ entry into cycling was inspired by his grandfather, with whom he watched the sport on French television. This blend of familial athletic discipline and a personal passion for the road has created a rider who possesses both the physical power and the mental fortitude required for the WorldTour.
Key Milestones in Paul Seixas’ Career
| Year/Period | Achievement/Affiliation | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 2021–2023 | VC Villefranche Beaujolais | Early amateur development |
| 2024 | UCI Road World Championships | Junior Time Trial Champion |
| 2025 | Critérium du Dauphiné | 8th place (Youngest top-10 finish in World Tour) |
| 2026 | Itzulia Basque Country | First WorldTour stage victory (Stage 1) |
What This Means for the Decathlon CMA CGM Team
For the Decathlon CMA CGM Team, Seixas’ victory validates their investment in youth and their strategic approach to nurturing talent. Winning a stage in the Basque Country—a race known for its punishing terrain and technical descents—demonstrates that Seixas is not just a time-trial specialist but a complete rider capable of handling the pressures of a leader’s jersey.
As the race continues, the cycling community will be watching to see if the 19-year-old can defend his lead against seasoned champions like Primož Roglič and Juan Ayuso. Regardless of the final general classification result, the victory in Bilbao establishes Seixas as one of the most promising talents in French cycling in years.
The next critical phase of the race will see the peloton tackle the steep climbs of the Basque region, where Seixas will face his first major test in defending the leader’s jersey against the world’s best climbers.
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