Tour de France: These eight riders will accompany Paul Seixas on his debut

Barcelona – 06.07.2026: As planned, Paul Seixas will ride his first Tour de France. His team Decathlon CMA CGM confirmed the eight-man squad that will accompany the 19-year-old for three weeks on June 29. The selection was made after medical examinations and form tests, with some spots having previously been left open due to health concerns. Seixas himself injured his arm and hand in a crash at the Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, but completed course reconnaissance of the mountain stages and is considered ready to race, according to the team.

In the mountain stages, the debutant will receive a clearly structured support system. Tiesj Benoot, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Nicolas Prodhomme and Matthew Riccitello are slated as mountain domestiques. Benoot brings Grand Tour experience and returns after an injury-related absence. As road captain, Paret-Peintre is expected to coordinate in chaotic race situations. Prodhomme and Riccitello will be responsible for maintaining the pace on long climbs and positioning battles ahead of key moments.

For the flat stages, team management expanded its plans at short notice: Dutchman Olav Kooij joins the squad, bringing a proven sprinter into the lineup. He started his season late due to a viral infection but has recently shown good form. His selection shifts the balance of power toward additional opportunities in bunch sprints. Cees Bol will support Kooij as a classic lead-out rider, while Daan Hoole will contribute his strengths in the individual time trial and crosswind sections. Bol is also set to take responsibility in the opening stages, with the team expecting priorities to shift between the sprint train and GC protection in the early part of the race.

The sporting directors emphasize a dual approach: Seixas will be supported in the general classification for as long as possible without giving up opportunities for stage victories. Four sporting directors will accompany the team, and the daily plan will be adjusted according to the course profile, weather and race dynamics. From the team’s perspective, Kooij’s presence increases tactical flexibility, while the four-man mountain group is expected to protect the young rider in the high-altitude stages.

The confirmed eight riders match the organizers’ official start list. In French cycling, the combination of experienced and young riders is seen as a pragmatic attempt to protect a talent’s debut while also targeting specific stages. Whether the short-term adjustment will work will become apparent in the first week of racing, when crosswinds, the team time trial and the first climbs will begin to shape the field.