Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) said Paul Seixas (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) have the talent to win major races, describing France's emerging generation as riders who deserve success at the highest level.
"They are guys that I hope will achieve great things and win races, because they deserve it, they have the engine and they have so many qualities," Alaphilippe said in a post-Strade Bianche video interview with Eurosport's French-language coverage. "We have to enjoy this youth coming through, taking over a little. It's great, we're lucky."
The 33-year-old's comments were grounded in a specific moment from Saturday's race. Alaphilippe found himself well-positioned in the finale with Seixas on his wheel, but realised his own body was about to give out.
"I saw Paul in my wheel, and then I saw that I was going to blow the engine," Alaphilippe said. "And I said, go ahead, Paul, take the place. He had the legs to go there, and I didn't. I'm just too happy when I see that, because he has the legs, he has the head."
Seixas, who turned 19 in September, has already made an impression at the sport's top level. At the 2025 World Championships in Kigali, he finished 13th in the elite road race as the highest-placed French rider, finishing alongside Tom Pidcock and Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Alaphilippe was part of the same French squad in Rwanda but fell ill with teammate Louis Barré the day before the road race.
"Paul was 18 years old," Alaphilippe said. "At 18, if I remember where I was, I think, wow. It's incredible to have that."
Asked how the younger French riders view him in the peloton, Alaphilippe was unbothered. "I don't know how they see me, and it doesn't really matter to me. But what makes me happy is seeing them present at the highest level, whether it's Romain or Paul."
Alaphilippe remains competitive himself. His victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec in September 2025, his first WorldTour win for Tudor. He credited Tudor for allowing him to operate with an "old school" approach that keeps racing enjoyable. "I'm not a fanatic of figures, of nutrition and of everything that is at the cutting edge today," he said. "I need it to stay simple to keep that pleasure and be competitive."
His spring programme is unchanged despite Tudor losing Stefan Küng to a fractured femur at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Alaphilippe confirmed he will race Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of the Basque Country before targeting the Ardennes Classics.
He also indicated that this year's World Championships in Canada will likely be his last, given the demands of the 2027 course. But for now, the ambition remains his own alongside a growing willingness to clear the road for those behind him.
Cover image credit: Bruce Rollinson/SWpix.com
