While most riders are already switching off for the winter, France’s 19-year-old sensation Paul Seixas seems determined to keep pushing his limits. The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team starlet ended his 2025 campaign in the same relentless fashion that has defined his breakout year – by completing a brutal, twelve-hour solo ride through the French Alps.According to his Strava data, Seixas covered 323 kilometres and more than 8,000 metres of elevation gain in a single day, burning close to 10,000 calories in the process. His route took him over a string of legendary mountain passes, including the Col des Saisies, Cormet de Roselend, Petit Saint-Bernard, Grand Saint-Bernard and the Col de la Forclaz – a collection of climbs that would make even the most seasoned Grand Tour contender wince.
A rider still hungry for more
It’s a typically audacious move from one of cycling’s most talked-about young talents. Seixas, who burst onto the professional scene this year, has quickly earned a reputation for his fearlessness, versatility and appetite for adventure. The teenager has impressed across a range of terrains and has drawn praise from figures including Jonas Vingegaard and Marc Madiot, who recently compared him to a young Bernard Hinault.
That level of hype might intimidate some riders, but Seixas appears to be thriving under the attention. His end-of-season Alpine marathon looks like both a celebration of a promising debut campaign and a sign of his hunger for continued improvement. It’s the kind of ride few professionals attempt outside of training camps, and yet Seixas completed it seemingly for the pure love of the sport.
Seixas took bronze at the European Championships
A glimpse of what’s to come
For Decathlon AG2R, Seixas represents one of the brightest lights in the next generation of French cycling – a rider capable of shaping the team’s long-term future. His combination of climbing ability, endurance and calm maturity has already drawn comparisons to some of the sport’s biggest names.
This latest exploit underlines that his rise is no accident. Rather than putting his feet up after a long season, Seixas opted for a route that would test his body and mind to the limit. Whether it was a symbolic end-of-year challenge or simply a reflection of his boundless energy, it perfectly encapsulates the mentality that has made him stand out.
If 2025 was his breakout year, then 2026 could be the one where Paul Seixas truly begins to shape the sport’s next era. And judging by his twelve-hour Alpine odyssey, he’ll be more than ready for it.