The Cycling Podcast

This episode of KM0 is available ad-free for Friends of the Podcast subscribers. Sign up to listen to our back catalogue of more than 300 special episodes and support The Cycling Podcast in the process. An annual subscription helps keep us on the road. Go to thecyclingpodcast.com

In episode six of our series taking you behind the scenes of Paul Seixas's début Tour, we look at the 19-year-old's meteoric rise in the context of a sport increasingly obsessed with youth.

As Seixas's podium and white jersey bids gather momentum, Daniel Friebe speaks to his first coaches in Lyon about how much of his story does – and doesn't – apply to other aspiring pro riders. We also hear from a top agent and team bosses about why WorldTour outfits are now recruiting riders in their mid-teens, in their desperate search for the next Seixas. Décathlon fought off stiff competition to lock him in when he was just 14 – but now that they have him, why are the French team still having to work hard to rein him in? Their head sports director, Luke Rowe, tells us.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.
Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
Indeed
If you are looking to hire someone for your company, maybe the best way isn’t to search for a candidate but to match with Indeed. Go to indeed.com/cycle now to get a £100 sponsored job credit and get matched with the perfect candidate fast.

Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.
Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

This episode is available ad-free on our Friends of the Podcast feed. Subscribe at thecyclingpodcast.com

The fifth instalment of our wall-to-wall, behind-the-scenes look at Paul Seixas’s début Tour de France begins where Seixas’s love affair with cycling and the Tour also started, in Magland, just a few kilometres from the stage 15 finish on the Plateau de Solaison. 

It was indeed an intense and emotional few days for the 19-year-old, as Daniel Friebe reports in this episode. As always, we hear from team-mates, coaches and opponents, as Seixas underlines his credentials as the man most likely to end Tadej Pogačar’s reign. Of course no one is any closer to knowing when that will be, or indeed how Pogačar will fall or abdicate. 

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
NordVPN
Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Join Lionel Birnie and Graham Willgoss for a three-week adventure taking them from Barcelona to Paris, following the 2026 Tour de France.

The Cycling Podcast has covered the Tour with daily episodes recorded at the heart of the world’s biggest race. Our nightly episodes recap the stage action with analysis, interviews and plenty of French flavour.

To listen to the episodes as soon as they are released, follow The Cycling Podcast in your favourite podcast app. 

Ask us anything for our next rest day Press Conference episode:
Email [email protected]
Or leave a voice message at speakpipe.com/thecyclingpodcast 

Introducing our sponsors, MyWhoosh
Our Tour de France coverage is sponsored by MyWhoosh.
MyWhoosh is a serious indoor training and racing platform, built for riders who love cycling, and it’s free. It’s built for anyone who wants to ride indoors with purpose, whether that’s staying fit, following a training plan, joining a community ride, racing hard, or exploring virtual roads and it’s free to ride, just like outdoors.

Episode sponsors
Warby Parker
Eyewear that’s made to move with you. Right now, buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at WarbyParker.com/CYCLE
Bikmo
The Cycling Podcast is supported by Bikmo, cycle insurance built for cyclists who actually ride.

Whether it's a crash, a stolen bike, or your pride and joy arriving at baggage reclaim in three separate pieces – it's covered. Flexible policies you can cancel anytime, 50 per cent off extra household bikes, plus protection for your kit, race entries and travel.

Follow us on social media:
Twitter @cycling_podcast
Instagram @thecyclingpodcast

Friends of the Podcast
Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes.

The 11.01 Cappuccino
Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it’s after 11am).

The Cannibal & Badger
Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in.

The Cycling Podcast is on Strava

The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.