Paul Seixas faces new rival after Lorenzo Finn win

Paul Seixas has a new name to consider in his long-term pursuit of the Tour de France. Lorenzo Finn’s dominant victory in the Tour de l’Avenir has placed the Italian alongside Seixas and Isaac Del Toro among the leading young prospects for stage races.

Finn, born in December 2006, is slightly younger than Seixas, who was born in September of the same year. He won the junior world title two years ago, added the under-23 world crown last year and has now taken the Tour de l’Avenir. Seixas won that race last year, while Finn finished fourth.

The result strengthens Finn’s growing reputation at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. His performances on several climbs were rated highly by specialists who assess power output relative to weight, underlining his potential in the mountains. He is already viewed as a major future figure in Italian cycling and a possible contender in stage races at the highest level.

Seixas has already finished fourth in the Tour de France at 19 and has set winning the race as his main ambition. That path will be difficult, with Tadej Pogacar expected to remain the leading force and Isaac Del Toro also emerging as a serious young contender. Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Juan Ayuso further strengthen the field Seixas must eventually overcome.