Bruyneel sees Visma as an excellent home for Seixas: 'Vingegaard is not going to win the Tour'
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Follow us on GoogleOf course, Tadej Pogačar was simply the best cyclist in the world in 2026. But Paul Seixas also managed to have his say. The 20-year-old Frenchman made a sensational breakthrough and is one of the most sought-after talents for any top team. Decathlon CMA CGM wants to keep him at all costs, but former Lance Armstrong manager Johan Bruyneel thinks he’ll leave.
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Paul Seixas dominated the headlines in 2026
This year, Seixas won the Flèche Wallonne, the Tour of the Basque Country, and the Tour of Lombardy—his first victory in a Monument. He also finished fourth on his Tour de France debut.
It was a sensational year for the Frenchman, who has quickly become a true superstar, especially in his home country. In the THEMOVE podcast, however, Bruyneel states that he won’t be riding for Decathlon much longer.
Bruyneel doesn't see a future for Seixas at Decathlon
"If he had wanted to stay with Decathlon, he would have signed by now," the Belgian reasons.
“I think it’s the best team for him, and they’re really going out of their way for him. Maybe it’s a ploy to drive up his salary. In my opinion, that would be around six or seven million a year, I think. But he could get that from any team that has the budget. Price can’t be the problem.”
With CMA CGM, Decathlon has one of the wealthiest sponsors in the world of cycling. Thanks to that financial boost, work is still underway on a project centered around Seixas.
“I was confident he’d stay, because they’ve moved away from the French system and are now based in Switzerland. And they’ve signed a lot of new riders for him. But will that be enough, or are they just caught up in his agent’s game?”
Is Paul Seixas heading to Visma | Lease a Bike?
Bruyneel: 'Visma in pole position for Seixas'
Whether it’s all just a game or not, Seixas’s contract issues have given many teams hope for a transfer. And according to Bruyneel, one team has the best chance.
“As far as I’m concerned, Visma | Lease a Bike is in pole position. Because one of his best friends is there—Bruno Armirail. The day after the Lombardy race, they rode a mountain bike race together. But of course, we don’t know for sure.”
Visma | Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge had previously been open about his interest in Seixas and had already tried to entice him to join the team.
Of course, the Dutch team still has Jonas Vingegaard on its roster, who recently won the Vuelta a España and the Giro d’Italia. But Bruyneel believes the Dane’s time at Visma | Lease a Bike is coming to an end.
Read more below the photo!
Will Jonas Vingegaard have to compete against Paul Seixas?
Bruyneel on Vingegaard: 'Project Jonas is over'
"Something tells me—and I don't have any information on this, it's purely a hunch—that Jonas is at his limit. We don’t know for sure, because he dropped out of the Tour de France, but he would never have come close to Pogacar. Maybe he would have finished second. He won the Giro in dominant fashion and the Vuelta the year before, but Visma wants to win the Tour. And Jonas isn’t going to win the Tour, unless something happens to Pogacar.”- Johan Bruyneel on The Move Podcast
Vingegaard has a contract with Visma | Lease a Bike through 2028, but he previously stated that he would likely end his career racing in the Netherlands.
“Project Jonas for the future is over,” Bruyneel says, however. “From what I understand from people who have some inside information from Denmark and the surrounding area, Jonas won’t be racing much more. He has other priorities, but he won’t race until he’s 35. He’ll ride for another two or three years.”
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- Checking out the European course beforehand is smart. Hope she enjoys racing at home, whatever the result.jennifer1902-11-2026
- How does the starting order get decided in cyclocross? Eighth sounds impressive if she had to work her way through the whole field.cadencekingm02-11-2026
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- It’s lovely to see her smiling and thanking the fans. Taking things week by week sounds like the right approach after such a difficult year.patriciaw02-11-2026
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- The recovery-score details are interesting, but they’re not a substitute for proper medical advice. Hopefully the team are keeping a close eye on him and letting the scans—not the urge to train—set the timetable.jennifer1901-11-2026
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- The team says it wants answers “as quickly as possible”, but speed shouldn’t come at the expense of a thorough investigation. Since Picnic PostNL commissioned it, will the full report be published? The team’s transparency will matter as much as who leads the inquiry.cyclechamp4530-10-2026