French teenage cyclist Paul Seixas is set to become the youngest Tour de France debutant since 1937 as the historic grand tour begins with an opening team time trial in Barcelona, Spain on Saturday evening.
The 19-year-old Decathlon CMA CGM rider enters the demanding three-week race with high confidence despite facing dominant four-time champion Tadej Pogacar and double Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard.
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"There are different ways to win a cycling race," Seixas said.
The teenage sensation has drawn immense attention in Barcelona, though he remains highly strategic about his approach to the demanding multi-stage event.
"I won't take risks for anything other than the general classification," he added.
Seixas enters the competition following an explosive season that included victories at the Itzulia Basque Country stage race and La Fleche Wallonne.
"I feel ready to give everything I have and to achieve the best result possible.
I am not setting myself a more specific goal because I am heading into the unknown, having never raced an event this long and demanding before," Seixas said.
The announcement of his participation earlier this year generated massive excitement across the French sports media landscape.
"Vivement Juillet!" blared L'Equipe, the French sports newspaper, which quickly added a brief follow-up note: "No pressure!"
Despite a heavy crash less than a month ago at the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Seixas maintained that his physical condition has fully recovered ahead of the grand tour.
