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At 19, Paul Seixas is already making a name for himself throughout the peloton. His performance on the white roads of the Strade Bianche, where he found himself keeping pace with Tadej Pogačar, left a lasting impression. But behind the sporting phenomenon, there’s a detail that speaks volumes about the new generation of athletes: the young Frenchman is simultaneously pursuing studies at EM Lyon Business School, one of France’s leading management schools. A rare trajectory in high-level sport, and perhaps one of the signs of a maturity that is already impressing everyone.
By Jeff Tatard – Photos: ©Giro
A Talent Already Impressing the Entire Peloton
In cycling, there are sometimes riders who are talked about even before they’ve had time to build a great palmarès. Not because of an isolated victory, but because of a collective impression: that of witnessing the birth of a rare talent.
For several months, Paul Seixas has clearly belonged to this category. Junior World Champion in the time trial in 2024, winner of the Tour du Pays de Vaud, the young Frenchman quickly attracted the attention of observers. But it is above all his way of racing that is intriguing: astonishing tactical maturity, an ability to embrace effort, and a sense of positioning that is normally only learned with experience.
On the white roads of the Strade Bianche, in Tuscany, many felt they were witnessing one of those moments when you realize something important might be emerging. In the dust of the sterrato sectors, Seixas found himself on Pogacar’s wheel. And in modern cycling, this kind of scene never happens by chance. In team buses and sports directors’ cars, the word often comes up: raw diamond.
Decathlon’s Very Clear Bet
At Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, no one really hides the fact that the project around Paul Seixas is a long-term one. The French team spotted the rider’s potential very early on and chose to build a complete environment around him. Coaches, physical trainers, scientific staff, sports support: an entire collective has been put in place to supervise the one who could become one of the faces of French cycling in the years to come.
The goal is not to artificially accelerate things, but to build a lasting champion.
In a sport where careers can sometimes skip steps, this patient approach almost resembles a philosophy. Because the history of cycling is full of promising young talents. But the truly great champions are often those who have been intelligently supported.
Even Brands Have Sensed the Potential
In the professional cycling ecosystem, brands also know how to recognize the signals that announce an extraordinary talent. At Giro, young riders capable of making their mark in the years to come are obviously closely monitored. Raphaël Dalle, who knows the peloton and the equipment world perfectly, quickly understood that something was happening around Seixas.
The young Frenchman was thus equipped with the brand’s very latest shoes, which he chose to wear during the Strade Bianche. A detail that may seem anecdotal, but which also tells a story: that of a rider in whom industry players are already beginning to believe. Seixas chose the laced version, a configuration that some riders appreciate for the precision of the closure and the very direct feel with pedaling. In a sport where every detail counts, these choices also demonstrate the confidence that already surrounds this young rider.
A Detail That Changes Everything: He Continues His Studies
But what makes Paul Seixas’s journey even more interesting may not be solely on the bike. In parallel with his sporting career, the young Frenchman is pursuing his studies within the BBA program at EM Lyon Business School, a program specially adapted for high-level athletes.
Before that, he already obtained his baccalauréat remotely, proof that the construction of his project was never limited to the sole horizon of sporting performance. And when you hear him speak in interviews, you quickly discern in him a rare maturity for his age, as well as a form of lucidity and intelligence that are not so common in an environment where everything often pushes young talents to go ever faster.
In a world where promising athletes are sometimes encouraged to dedicate themselves exclusively to their discipline, this choice says a lot. First, an ability to step back. Because high-level sport is magnificent, but it is also fragile. A fall, an injury, or a simple career evolution can call everything into question. Building an academic project in parallel is therefore not a renunciation of performance. On the contrary, it is a way to build balance. And in Seixas’s case, this balance seems perfectly assumed.
The New Generation of Athletes
Paul Seixas’s journey may also illustrate a broader evolution in high-level sport. Modern champions are no longer just athletes. They must understand their preparation, analyze their data, communicate with their teams, manage their image, and sometimes already think about their post-career.
In this context, intellectual training almost becomes an additional asset. Pursuing studies at a prestigious school like EM Lyon while evolving in the professional peloton is therefore no longer necessarily a contradiction. It may simply be the new reality of modern sport.
The Head and the Legs
The idea that a runner is defined not only by their legs but also by what they have in their heart is often attributed to Steve Prefontaine. Today, we could add: by what they have in their head. Because the legs make the bike move. But the head prepares the rest of the journey. And in a sport that often pushes young athletes to go ever faster, seeing a 19-year-old rider progress both on the road… and in the lecture halls of a prestigious school almost resembles a form of wisdom. A rare wisdom. And perhaps, precisely, the mark of future great champions.
=> Learn all about Europe’s 11th best business school EM LYON BUSINESS SCHOOL
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