Key Seixas support rider devastated to miss the Tour de France: 'It’s terrible, but that’s sports'
CyclingSunday, 28 June 2026 at 22:18
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Follow us on GoogleDecathlon CMA CGM will not be calling on Gregor Mühlberger for the Tour de France in July, the 32-year-old Austrian announced via his social media channels. The climber was invaluable to Felix Gall in the Giro d'Italia, where Gall finished second in Rome. He won’t be called on to support Paul Seixas at the Tour de France, which is a blow to both him and the young Frenchman.
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It is not clear from his account why Mühlberger was not selected for the Tour de France. “I won’t be at the starting line in Barcelona; I’ll just be watching and cheering for my teammates from home. It’s terrible, but that’s sports,” said the cyclist.
He makes no mention of an injury or setback. So it seems that Decathlon CMA CGM is deliberately leaving the Austrian at home, even though Mühlberger rode exceptionally well in the Giro d'Italia and subsequently did everything he could to be at the top of his game again in the Tour de France.
"After the Giro, we built everything around this moment. I skipped the Tour de Suisse and the national championships." Instead, Mühlberger joined the French team's Tour de France camp.
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Gregor Mühlberger
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"I gave it my all during my high-altitude training camp in France—total focus, total discipline, no cutting corners—and everything went according to plan. That makes this even harder to accept. Sometimes sports don't give you a warning or a chance to show what you've been preparing for."
Mühlberger's departure has clearly come as a blow to Decathlon CMA CGM as well. The Tour de France team leader even took the time to respond to the message from his intended domestique. "We're going to miss you—stay strong, my friend," wrote the top talent.
Nicolas Prodhomme (with two sad emojis) and Robbe Ghys (“stay strong, king”) also chimed in. Daan Hoole liked the post. Decathlon CMA CGM had previously indicated that it would announce the Tour selection later than planned due to some uncertainties within the team.
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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