Former French great Romain Bardet has urged media and fans alike not to have overly high expectations regarding up-and-coming talent Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and what he can achieve in the short term.
Just 19 years old, Seixas is already being touted in some quarters as a future Bernard Hinault, capable of returning French cycling to the giddy heights of the 1980s. Wins in the 2025 Tour de l'Avenir as well as a third place in the UEC European Championships road race behind established stars Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, have all helped add fuel to the bonfire of speculation about Seixas' potential.
However, as Bardet – who also had that mantle of future greatness thrust upon him ever after he took podium finishes in the Tour de France and Critérium du Dauphiné in 2016 – pointed out, it was best to give Seixas a chance to develop at his own pace without that added pressure.
"I find all the hyping up [surrounding Seixas] a little bit troubling," Bardet, a former AG2R rider himself who retired in 2025, told Ouest-France, "particularly given the very high demands that imposes on young athletes."
"These days, to become pro, they are already obliged to have a level of expectations that is so much higher than a few years back. You can see that in the performance level that they have to operate on from a very young age.
"That facet, with the demands placed on them mentally, can end up being demotivating long-term. You have to find a balance, but that's very personal for every athlete."
Bardet pointed to the need for enjoyment and not getting overly obsessed with targets as a good way to keep motivated.
"Far be it from me to give advice to anyone, but career plans need to be thought through. The hardest thing in cycling is maintaining a carefree attitude."
Referring to the speculation surrounding Tadej Pogačar and his less-than-normal levels of gung-ho racing spirit in the third week of the 2025 Tour – although that later emerged to be due to a knee injury – Bardet continued, "We saw that with Pogacar and the weariness that perhaps sets in during the Tour de France."
"Beyond pure physical performance and the ability to improve each year, it's about maintaining that inner flow to help Paul reach the heights he's destined for."
Still a gravel racer after retiring from the road, Bardet concluded his Ouest-France interview with a reminder that WorldTour races could be tackled more than ten times by a pro in their careers and there would be "no renewal" [of race programs].
Although Bardet did not mention the Tour de France specifically, he argued that rather than throwing Seixas into the deep end in too many races at once, it was better for him to have new, unknown challenges, until much later into his career as a way of maintaining his interest and enthusiasm.
"You need to stay fresh in order to keep your physical performance up to scratch. It's good in the first few years to conserve a rider's sense of wonder at discovering new races, build up the participation only gradually," he said.
"That way two or three years down the line, Paul will still be keen on discovering races he's not yet done."
