Cyril Guimard, former coach of the French national team and former manager of Hinault, Fignon and LeMond, is keeping a close eye on the 2026 Tour de France. As for Western France, he returns to this race and, in particular, to the case of Paul Seixas.
“For Seixas to be on the podium, it would take Evenepoel or Del Toro to fail.”
“Lenny Martinez made a big mistake and it’s a shame to miss this opportunity. He was the one who had the key. When we want to win a stage and defend our place in the general classification, we must not play cat and mouse, we must not want butter and cream, otherwise we will be left with greasy paper…
He should have collaborated with Carapaz and Cousse during the ascent of Alpe d’Huez. He raced forward, missing the relays and then plugging the holes to return. It is he who condemns the escape. He was really strong, as strong as Carapaz. If they had agreed, with 30 seconds for 5 kilometers, Pogačar would not have returned. Martinez must not have a good ranking in the peloton.
After this stage, Remco Evenepoel confirms that he will most likely be second because he seems to have no problems, he remains calm. He is not playing with Pogacar, there are two races. Pogacar took the stage because he knew Del Toro might be left behind, and the Mexican was four seconds behind Seixas.
Paul Seixas is very good, he doesn’t make mistakes, but he lacks a little bit to play at this level. Confidence changed before a very difficult stage on Saturday. For him to make it to the podium, one of the two in front of him, Evenepoel and Del Toro, must fail. Everything is possible at the end of the third week, after all the accumulated fatigue.
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Tadej Pogačar has no longer controlled anything in recent days as we have seen his team diminished. Other teams do this for him, because Martinez was a danger in the breakaway for the general classification, which is why he went to Lidl-Track. Everyone wants to protect their place. The yellow jersey allows this to happen and takes the opportunity to enter a new stage, already the fifth, and perhaps it is not finished yet…”