Seixas-mania has officially exploded

There was something special in the air on the Markstein. Amid the smoke from the barbecues, the fog enveloping the slope, and the sudden showers hitting the mountain, thousands of fans had reached the summit on foot and by bike, leaving just a strip of asphalt clear in the human tunnel that had formed on the final ascent of the Col du Haag. An electric, almost magical atmosphere. And Paul Seixas had no choice but to answer the call.

The prodigal 19-year-old, the great hope of French cycling, has finally ignited the spark everyone was waiting for. For the first time in this Tour de France, he truly connected with the home crowd, igniting the passion of the French fans.

Tadej Pogačar has once again created a gap, it's true, and it's clear that Seixas isn't fighting for the yellow jersey. But the way he chased and then dropped Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the sprint radically changed the perspective of his race in a single moment. It's a scene that will remain etched in the memories of those who were there.

Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro outclassed him at the finish line, managing to rejoin the peloton and steal second place. Seixas, however, took third place on the stage and gained two places in the general classification, climbing to fourth . He also took the white jersey for best young rider , snatching it from Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek).

No small detail: for the first time in his young career, Seixas stood on the podium at a Tour de France finish, with the crowd in ecstasy before him. A symbolic moment, the first of many.

"It's incredible, I'm living a dream," Seixas said. "The Tour is incredibly tough, let's face it. It was a very difficult day, but I'm getting used to it: it's a very tough race. This really hit me, but I trained so hard for this, the team worked so hard. It's a real pleasure to wear this white jersey and know that I'm truly in contention for the final podium."

Seixas tried to keep his feet on the ground. France, however, was having a hard time. France Télévisions had set up an open-air studio on the Markstein, where several former French pros were swept away by the enthusiasm. Thomas Voeckler , a former yellow jersey wearer, shouted to the cameras: "Pogačar can wait today!" , sparking a standing ovation from the crowd gathered around the studio.

"What the fans experienced today, what Paul Seixas experienced... there was a taste of it on the Tourmalet, but today was something completely different. He chased Vingegaard's wheel, and it was the fans who gave him that strength. He's won races, but he's never known the kind of support that allows you to go looking for those final meters. It's the first time he's felt it, but it certainly won't be the last," Voeckler added.

On the morning of the fourteenth stage, there was still talk of the more cautious and conservative Seixas, the one whom Decathlon CMA CGM sports director Luke Rowe had wanted to rein in his more aggressive moves, given that it was the first Grand Tour of his career. Well, that narrative became obsolete within a few hours.

Seixas had already been impressive up to that point, there's no doubt about it. But the Markstein stage represented something more: a turning point in the narrative arc of his Tour debut.

"This gives me confidence for what's to come. The Tour is still long, the hardest part is yet to come, so I'm staying pragmatic. There's still a lot to do. There are still unknowns about the second and third weeks. We're not even into the third week yet, so I'm paying close attention. But I've trained incredibly hard for this; recovery is crucial, and we've worked hard on it, with extremely demanding training camps. We know what certain efforts mean and how to recover. For now, things are going well, and if it can continue like this, it would be fantastic," concluded the young Frenchman.

While Seixas still manages to keep his head on his shoulders, the atmosphere around him threatens to literally lift him off his feet. Laurent Jalabert summed up the moment like this: "I think he'll be swept up by the whole of France." And Voeckler, succinctly, closed the circle: "Seixas-mania has begun."