{"id":792755,"date":"2026-07-10T12:30:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/792755\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T12:30:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:30:14","slug":"hes-on-a-good-team-french-president-emmanuel-macron-visits-the-tour-de-france-and-urges-paul-seixas-to-stay-with-decathlon-cma-cgm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/792755\/","title":{"rendered":"‘He’s on a good team’ – French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Tour de France and urges Paul Seixas to stay with Decathlon CMA CGM"},"content":{"rendered":"

French President Emmanuel Macron followed stage 6 of the Tour de France<\/a> and took time to speak with Paul Seixas<\/a> at the finish, trying to convince the 19-year-old super talent to stay with a French team.<\/p>\n

Bernard Hinault was the last French Tour winner in 1985, but Seixas seems to have the talent to win the Tour for France after the Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> era ends. Decathlon CMA CGM hope Seixas will extend his contract with the French team beyond 2027, but UAE, Netcompany Ineos, Visma-Lease a Bike, and others have been courting him in the hopes of winning the Tour with a French rider.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Reports emerged in April that Macron was using his soft power in sport to convince Seixas to stay with Decathlon. Four years ago, Real Madrid president Florentino P\u00e9rez suggested that Macron had used his power of influence to convince soccer player Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 to stay with Paris Saint-Germain for an extra year before moving to Spain.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos From<\/p>\n

At the Tour, Macron spoke with Seixas near the podium in Gavarnie-G\u00e8dre. According to the RMC radio channel, Macron told Paul Seixas that he should stay with a French team<\/a>. Cyclingnews has verified this report with a source who witnessed the talks.<\/p>\n

“He’s on a good team,” Macron told French television, adding that Seixas and fellow French rider Lenny Martinez are currently eighth and ninth in the GC.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

“We have high hopes. I think he can still achieve great things. What they did is magnificent. I believe there are two French riders in the top ten, both were extraordinary. They managed their race very well,” Macron said.<\/p>\n

“After the Dauphin\u00e9 (the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes), which had worried us a bit in recent days, he’s delivered,” Macron said of Seixas. “I hope he wins one or more stages and maintains this good GC position, and even goes higher.”<\/p>\n

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n

Macron also revealed that Poga\u010dar tipped Seixas as a future Tour winner. “Tadej had a few very kind words; he said: ‘You’ll see, next it will be Seixas,'” Macron revealed.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7@LeTour @seixas_paul a \u00e9t\u00e9 accueilli \u00e0 l\u2019arriv\u00e9e par le Pr\u00e9sident de la R\u00e9publique @EmmanuelMacron. @seixas_paul met the French President, @EmmanuelMacron at the finish#DECATHLONCMACGMTEAM pic.twitter.com\/cDj2i8j6VeJuly 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The world\u2019s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! Find out more.<\/a><\/p>\n