Kooij's stage victory "takes a huge weight off" young leader Seixas

Along with the national soccer team competing in the World Cup, this month France's sporting hopes are focused on just one name: Paul Seixas , the 19-year-old phenomenon competing in his first Tour de France. A boy who is already making an entire nation dream.

Although the greatest challenges still lie ahead in the remaining 11 stages, the young Decathlon CMA CGM rider has responded with great authority in his first nine days of racing. Heading into stage 10, with its challenging, saw-toothed course in the Massif Central, Seixas sits sixth in the overall standings, just 28 seconds off the podium. An extraordinary result for a rookie of his age.

Ahead of him lies a 26km time trial and five mountain stages, including the legendary ascents of the Col du Galibier and Alpe d'Huez. The best—and the worst—is yet to come.

On the rest day, sports director Julien Jurdie spoke enthusiastically to Cyclism'Actu , calling Seixas's progress so far "extremely positive." This assessment was further reinforced by Olav Kooij 's sprint victory in Pau, which eased the pressure on the entire team. "Winning a stage in the first week takes a huge weight off. Not many teams have achieved that so far, so it's a real relief," Jurdie said at the end of stage 9.

"We did well practically every day, with Olav on the fast stages and with Paul on the ones that were decisive for the general classification. It was a really good first week. On stage 9, we suffered a lot, the pace was very high. We didn't really understand why the UAE was pushing so hard behind the breakaway, but in the end it paid off, since Johannessen and Pidcock were ahead. Overall, a fantastic week."

On the physical front, Jurdie reassured everyone about his leader's condition. For Seixas, this is the first time in his career he's run nine consecutive stages: every day after the rest day is uncharted territory. "He told us on the radio he felt good; he never showed any signs of difficulty. This shows he's recovered well in the first part of the Tour," the Sports Director explained. "Everything seems to be going in the right direction. The rest day comes at the right time, and it will also allow the staff to recharge—they too are being put to the test in this heat."

Stage 10 presents a tough menu: seven major climbs and 3,800 meters of elevation gain over 166.6 km of racing in the still-ferocious heat of central France. It will be a crucial test to understand the young Frenchman's true overall ambitions: "Rest days are always tricky, especially when a major stage immediately follows them. We can't afford to let our guard down. We'll analyze the data and choose the best program," added Jurdie. "We'll also be keeping an eye on the weather: Tuesday's stage, finishing in Le Lioran, promises to be another day where anything can happen."

The sports director also spoke about Matthew Riccitello , another talented young rider on the team. "There's no rush. We'll let him recover at his own pace. If he's at his best in the third week, it'll be a real bonus. Last year, I saw him finish the Vuelta in excellent form in a very tough final week. If he's there then—perhaps in the fight for the white jersey and a top-five finish—he'll be a key asset alongside Paul." Riccitello is a name to keep an eye on in fantasy cycling in the final stages.

The road to Paris is still long and full of pitfalls. But Decathlon CMA CGM has shown it has both the legs and the mind to make a serious play. Seixas is already making history: now comes the best part.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency