{"id":646431,"date":"2026-05-03T06:46:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T06:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/646431\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T06:46:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T06:46:12","slug":"if-it-causes-problems-they-can-pass-that-on-to-another-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/646431\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cIf it causes problems, they can pass that on to another team\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Whilst McKenzie\u2019s view is reserved, Olympic champion Brown addresses the possibility that Seixas may not remain with Decathlon long-term. \u201cIf they\u2019ve only got him for a couple of years, then maybe they should capitalise on what they have,\u201d she explained. \u201cIf he moves to another team, they might as well use him now. And if it causes problems, they can pass that on to another team.\u201d<\/p>\n

That argument carries extra weight given the growing transfer interest around Seixas<\/a>, with both UAE Team Emirates – XRG<\/a> and INEOS Grenadiers already heavily linked with a future move for the Frenchman.<\/p>\n

It is that backdrop which gives the comments their edge. This is not a distant, theoretical scenario, but a very real possibility in the modern transfer market. While others have focused on development or pressure, Brown instead points to timing, and the risk that Decathlon\u2019s window to fully exploit their \u201cace card\u201d may be shorter than they would like.<\/p>\n

An \u201cace card\u201d to build around<\/p>\n

Despite that blunt assessment, McKenzie was equally clear on how highly he rates Seixas and his importance to the team. \u201cThey\u2019ve got an ace. He\u2019s the ace card,\u201d he said. \u201cNow it\u2019s about building the rest of the team around him. If you don\u2019t have that ace, it\u2019s very hard to build a champion. But they\u2019ve already got him.\u201d<\/p>\n

That belief underlines why the decision carries so much weight. Seixas is not simply another young rider showing promise, but a potential cornerstone for the team\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\"Tadej<\/p>\n

Tadej Pogacar and Paul Seixas at the 2026 Li\u00eage-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge<\/p>\n

The perfect environment, for now<\/p>\n

McKenzie also stressed that Decathlon currently provides the ideal environment for Seixas\u2019 development, particularly given the team\u2019s ongoing evolution. \u201cI\u2019d hate to see him leave. It\u2019s actually the perfect team for him,\u201d he said. \u201cWith the rebuild and the direction they\u2019re going in, it suits him really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

That creates a tension at the heart of his argument. On one hand, Decathlon represents the best place for Seixas to grow. On the other, that window may not last indefinitely, and opportunities such as the Tour de France do not come around without consequence.<\/p>\n

A different voice in a crowded debateMcKenzie and Brown\u2019s comments add another layer to what has become one of the sport\u2019s defining discussions. While figures such as Geraint Thomas have backed a Tour debut without GC expectations<\/a>, and Decathlon CMA CGM Team<\/a> themselves continue to emphasise caution and long-term development, McKenzie\u2019s stance is rooted in timing.<\/p>\n

Not just whether Seixas should ride the Tour. But whether Decathlon can afford not to use him while they still have him.<\/p>\n

Seixas\u2019 performances this season, capped by his ride at Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge, have ensured that any decision will come under intense scrutiny. And in a sport where opportunity can be fleeting, waiting may prove just as consequential as acting too soon.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whilst McKenzie\u2019s view is reserved, Olympic champion Brown addresses the possibility that Seixas may not remain with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":548019,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,176987,22953,176605,85,2845,175637,19805],"class_list":["post-646431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-decathlon-cma-cgm-team","tag-grace-brown","tag-paul-seixas","tag-sports","tag-tour-de-france","tag-transfers-negotiations","tag-uae-team-emirates-xrg"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=646431"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646431\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/548019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=646431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=646431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=646431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}