Paul Seixas: the podium is just 25 seconds away

Paul Seixas didn't just survive the first two weeks of the most anticipated Tour de France in recent memory: he dominated them. The 19-year-old Decathlon CMA CGM rider currently sits fourth in the general classification , 6 minutes and 23 seconds behind yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogačar, but more importantly, just 25 seconds off the podium, occupied by Isaac del Toro in third place. A minimal gap, transforming the final week into a veritable hunt for the big win.

On stage 15, Seixas lost the white jersey for best young rider to Mexican Del Toro on the Plateau de Solaison, but limited the damage with character and tactical acumen. At the finish line, surrounded by a horde of microphones, he honestly admitted that he had "hesitated too much" at the decisive moment, when Pogačar—acting as a top domestique—upped the pace on the 11.3km final climb.

At the summit, the 19-year-old had lost 58 seconds, but only to Pogačar, Del Toro, and stage winner Remco Evenepoel. Not a bad result, considering this is the longest Grand Tour Seixas has ever tackled in his career, and he's the youngest rider to start the Tour in 89 years.

"It was really tough. It opened up from a long way off. I wanted to manage the effort, so I took the climb at my own pace," said Seixas, who was able to hug his parents only after asking reporters to let them pass. "Maybe I could have pushed a little harder at certain points. I hesitated too much. In the end, I finished strong; it was still a good climb, and I'm still in contention for the overall classification. That's okay."

"Seixas-mania" explodes daily on the roads of France, fueled by a delirious crowd that sees him as a great national hero. But now comes the moment of truth: the third week, the one that makes or breaks dreams. On the schedule is an individual time trial and two stages finishing on Alpe d'Huez, events that could completely rewrite the rankings.