France desperate to see Seixas take on Pogačar despite Tour de France uncertainty: 'Pogačar might have to cut his vacation short'

At Decathlon CMA CGM, they were also impressed by Seixas on Saturday— before, during, and after the race. Still, in an interview with Ouest France , Julien Jurdie is now trying to temper expectations somewhat. After all, what exactly should the French expect from Seixas in 2027? In 2026, he clearly fell short in his battles with Pogačar—but will they face off again in 2027?

That remains to be seen. Seixas was beaten by Pogačar this year in races including Strade Bianche, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and the Tour de France. The French prodigy finished second in the two one-day races and came in fourth in his first Tour de France, which was also the first Grand Tour of his career.

It’s actually ridiculous to expect a showdown between Pogačar, in the prime of his career, and Seixas, in his first season as a full-fledged pro. Yet the French are pushing their new rising star toward a showdown with the Slovenian from UAE Emirates-XRG in 2027.

Take Marc Madiot, team manager at Groupama-FDJ United, who told Het Nieuwsblad: “Seixas is an exceptional talent.”

According to Madiot, it’s no surprise that the very young climber was already able to hold his own among the world’s absolute best in 2026. “This confirms it—he’s performing at the highest level extremely early in his career.” Pogačar might have to cut his vacation short a bit to prepare for the upcoming season. He must have watched the Lombardy race from Monaco and thought, ‘Oh boy.’”

Madiot is happy to throw his top talents at Groupama-FDJ United into the fray if he thinks they’re good enough, but at Decathlon CMA CGM, Jurdie takes a cautious approach with his team leader.

“Everyone is looking forward to the battle between Paul and Pogačar. Maybe on Saturday he thought he might run into trouble very soon.”

Still, fans shouldn’t expect too many head-to-head matchups between the two in 2027. Seixas is expected to return to Strade Bianche, Liège, and Lombardy, but his participation in the Tour de France remains uncertain. “We want him to finish on the podium at a Grand Tour, but we still have to see which Grand Tour he’ll compete in.”

There are rumours circulating in the cycling world that the 2027 Giro d'Italia, in particular, is hoping to attract many big names. Remco Evenepoel is considering a return to Italy, and Seixas could also make his Giro debut. The routes for the Grand Tours will be announced in October.