{"id":547725,"date":"2026-04-24T05:32:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/547725\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T05:32:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:32:19","slug":"pauline-ferrand-prevot-urges-paul-seixas-to-take-advantage-of-his-current-form-as-maillot-jaune-expectations-grow-in-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/547725\/","title":{"rendered":"Pauline Ferrand-Prevot urges Paul Seixas to \u201ctake advantage of his current form\u201d as Maillot Jaune expectations grow in France"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nThe discussion around Seixas\u2019 potential Tour de France debut has intensified following his victory at La Fl\u00e8che Wallonne<\/a>, where he proved the strongest on the Mur de Huy to secure one of the biggest wins of his young career.<\/p>\n

Already with multiple victories this season, including overall success at Itzulia Basque Country, the Frenchman has quickly moved from emerging talent to central figure in the sport\u2019s biggest conversations. A decision on whether he will start the Tour is expected after Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge this weekend, but the debate around that choice has already taken on national significance.<\/p>\n

Ferrand-Prevot\u2019s perspective shaped by experience<\/p>\n

Ferrand-Prevot\u2019s comments carry added weight given her own recent history. In 2025, she became the first French rider in decades to win a Tour de France, claiming the Tour de France Femmes title at her first attempt and ending a long wait for a home winner in yellow.<\/p>\n

That perspective informs her advice to Seixas, particularly when it comes to timing in a career that can move quickly. \u201cGiven the form he has, I think he should make the most of it, enjoy himself and above all never forget to keep enjoying it,\u201d she added. \u201cA career goes by quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Paul<\/p>\n

Paul Seixas crosses the line at La Fleche Wallonne 2026<\/p>\n

Youth, freedom and the Pogacar comparison<\/p>\n

Central to Ferrand-Prevot\u2019s view is the importance of maintaining the freedom that has defined Seixas\u2019 riding so far. \u201cThe carefree nature of youth is something you have to keep as long as possible,\u201d she said. \u201cThese are riders who enjoy being on the bike, and I think that\u2019s something you really have to hold on to.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pointed to Tadej Pogacar as a reference point, suggesting that the same mindset has helped sustain success at the very highest level. \u201cYou can see it a bit with Tadej as well. I think that\u2019s why he\u2019s able to stay at the top level for so long.\u201d<\/p>\n

France\u2019s long wait shapes the narrative<\/p>\n

Underlying the debate is the weight of history. France has not had a men\u2019s Tour de France winner since 1985, a drought that remains one of the most enduring storylines in the sport.<\/p>\n

In that context, Seixas\u2019 emergence has inevitably been framed through a broader national lens, with each performance adding to the sense that he could be the rider to finally end that wait.<\/p>\n

For now, the focus remains on the immediate challenge, with Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge set to provide the next test of his form. But after a standout 2026 campaign, highlighted most recently by his display at Fl\u00e8che Wallonne, and with voices like Ferrand-Prevot urging him forward, the conversation around Seixas has already moved far beyond promise and into expectation.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The discussion around Seixas\u2019 potential Tour de France debut has intensified following his victory at La Fl\u00e8che…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":547726,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,156725,112065,110510,101,6549,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-547725","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-la-fleche-wallonne","10":"tag-paul-seixas","11":"tag-pauline-ferrand-prevot","12":"tag-sports","13":"tag-tour-de-france","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/547725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=547725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/547725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/547726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=547725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=547725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=547725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}