As France's teenage prodigy Paul Seixas got his Tour de France career underway on a sweltering stage 1 team time trial in Barcelona, he made it through the initial test in this baptism of fire, limiting his losses to the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar to less than 40 seconds.
He sits 10th overall after the opener, with the media presence at Decathlon CMA CGM's bus confirming his status as the great French hope, who looks most likely to end the 45-year drought since Bernard Hinault was the last home men's rider to win the yellow jersey.
Around 30 journalists were already present before the 19-year-old had got onto the turbo trainer to warm down from the all-out 23-minute effort. Seixas debriefed with coaches, sports directors, and his own personal press officer, before putting on a white cap and Breitling watch to please his sponsors and then speaking to the gathered press in French and English.
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"We limited the damage well today, and I'm happy with how it felt," said Seixas to the mass scrum of reporters, including Cyclingnews.
"We expected to see gaps like that. So, I think we had a good time trial today and did the best we could. I'm feeling good. I take it as a normal team time trial and we did a great job today."
Seixas' name was uttered hundreds of times throughout the France TV broadcast, as the furore surrounding the teenager finally got going at the race everyone has been anticipating since his talent was realised by winning La Flèche Wallonne and almost matching Pogačar in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The Frenchman will get another chance to show off his punchy talents on the likely thrilling second stage, also to Barcelona's Montjuïc hill, where he will feel the full brunt of the Tour on his first road stage. He feels ready, though, and thinks it could be a route suited to his characteristics.
"I think it's a good stage for me, but I think we can see how it goes," he said. "Of course, it's not the same as what I did throughout the years because I did work differently for this race, so I will see how it goes, how I feel, and I hope it can be a good stage tomorrow."
Seixas knows just what he is up against in one of the most stacked start lists in recent memory, with all-time Grand Tour greats Pogačar and current yellow jersey wearer Vingegaard showing their strength again on the opener.
"They are the best in the world, so we will see how it goes during the weeks, and I hope to really perform, see what I can do, [but] they are the greatest cyclists for the moment," said Seixas, who won't have to wait long until the first mountain tests on stages 3 and 6.
"I'm going to try and see how it goes for the first road stage. We'll get a feel for the racing," Seixas added. "I'm obviously looking forward to it really starting in the mountains. I think everyone is happy. We're in top form. I hope it's going to be a good battle."
When Seixas announced he was going to make one of the most exciting debuts in recent Tour history and become the youngest debutant for 89 years, Decathlon put out a touching video of the teenager with his grandparents when he told them the news. With this, his first stage at the Tour, his and his grandparents' dreams came true.
"Of course, it was really something special for my grandparents. I think they were watching on TV today," said Seixas. I saw them at the start of the week, and they were really happy, and I hope they will enjoy this Tour de France."
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