French cycling prodigy Paul Seixas will skip the upcoming European Championships on October 4, 2026, in Slovenia, choosing instead to focus on his preparation for the prestigious Il Lombardia classic, according to national coach Thomas Voeckler. The decision comes as the Decathlon CMA CGM rider prepares to headline the French team at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal on September 27.
Thomas Voeckler Confirms Seixas’s Post-Worlds Schedule
Speaking on Eurosport’s program Les Rois de la Pédale on Friday, September 11, 2026, selector Thomas Voeckler outlined the team’s autumn roadmap following discussions with the rider and his coaching staff.
“After having exchanged with his staff, to best prepare for the Tour de Lombardie, Paul and his team decided to skip the European Championships,” Voeckler announced on the broadcast. The move ensures that Seixas will not defend or add to the continental accolades he secured in 2025, when he finished a brilliant third behind winner Tadej Pogačar in Drôme-Ardèche.
Focus on Montreal Worlds and Il Lombardia
Before turning his full attention to the final Monument of the season, Seixas carries the weight of French expectations into the world championship road race in Montreal, scheduled for September 27. Voeckler confirmed that the young climber remains the focal point of the French squad for the global showcase.
Following the world championships, Seixas will shift his training toward Il Lombardia, set for October 10. The Italian classic falls just six days after the European Championships in Slovenia, creating an intense logistical and physical turnaround that ultimately factored into his team’s decision to bypass the continental event.
The Pogačar Factor and French Ambitions
Voeckler noted that Seixas and his team finalized their decision to skip the European championships “before Pogačar was unavailable.” The Slovenian star curtailed the remainder of his season following a crash on the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España.
:focal(142x48:144x46)/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2026/07/25/image-588a8384-1048-4319-85ba-58665dc44877-85-2560-1440.jpeg "Photo: eurosport.fr")
While Pogačar’s absence alters the competitive landscape across late-season classics, Voeckler maintained that the multi-time Grand Tour winner’s forfait did not alter the strategic composition of the French selection. “Tadej Pogačar or not, I’m going for the victory,” Voeckler insisted. “I know very well that when Pogačar is there, there are very few chances of getting it, but that doesn’t prevent having ambition. I haven’t changed my composition since the announcement of his forfait.”
With his calendar locked in, Seixas will first target the rainbow jersey in Canada before wrapping up his campaign on Italian roads at Il Lombardia on October 10.
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