Paul Seixas found it 'awe-inspiring' to grow up watching cycling great Tadej Pogacar, as teenage sensation prepares for first Tour de France
Published 07/05/2026 at 15:38 GMT+1
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French teenager Paul Seixas had admitted he found it "awe-inspiring" to grow up watching the exploits of Tadej Pogacar, four-time winner of the Tour de France.
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Seixas, 19, is set to race in this summer's Tour de France, which will be live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
His exciting attacking style has led to comparisons with Pogacar in some quarters, and Seixas was asked what inspires him about the great Slovenian.
"When I was younger, his performances were truly awe-inspiring," Seixas said.
"I must have been 13 or 14 when he won his first Tour. More recently, what's impressive is that he's consistently improved year after year.
"Being able to race against him or battle with him, like in Liege, is really great. He's definitely a favourite to win the Tour."
Asked if he thought he had earned the respect of Pogacar, Seixas said: "I think he respects everyone in the peloton. I think he enjoys having rivalries from time to time.
"It pushes everyone to improve. It raises everyone's game, ultimately.
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"I think he was especially happy to have a good rivalry at the end of Liege to try and secure the victory despite the challenges."
The Tour de France is one of the truly iconic events in world sport. This year's race will start in Barcelona on July 4 and end in Paris on July 26.
Much attention will undoubtedly be on Seixas, who was asked whether he would be more cautious with Pogacar in the Tour de France than he has been in recent races.
"I think we'll be taking a leap into the unknown," Seixas said. "The important thing will be to hang on. We'll see how it goes as the Tour progresses.
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"With the pace of this race, it won't be the same. It's bound to be tough. I think we'll be fighting every day just to avoid losing time, getting caught out, and crashing.
"I think there will be a lot to think about during the Tour. And then, when it comes down to the power of the legs, we'll see."
For his part, Pogacar has admitted the emergence of Seixas has given him a "push for the future" after the two battled for first at last month's Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
"It was a good sensation riding against Paul," Pogacar said. "I was afraid that I would be like: 'Okay, he's on my wheel, I give up' or whatever.
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"But he pushed me more, because I think he's a good kid, very mature for his age, and he's really racing with his heart, with no bulls***.
"I was happy racing against him, he showed that he can be the best in the world also. He gave me a bit more push for the future."
Pogacar claimed victory at the Tour of Romandie last weekend, as he continued his build-up to July's Tour de France.
"It's a World Tour stage race, I always have admired the race since I was young," Pogacar said. "It was always beautiful to see it on the TV, so I wanted to come here to race, to experience it and to win."
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