Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale impressed on stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps, with 18-year-old Paul Seixas finishing third behind teammates Felix Gall in second and winner Giulio Ciccone. Seixas, a recent pro debutant, brought his talent to the fore, having also performed well in earlier races. Despite racing for personal ambitions, both riders had individual goals while collaborating in tactics. Seixas expressed joy and optimism about his performance, highlighting his surprise at his competitive level, and suggesting a promising week ahead in the competition.
"I didn't expect that much [from this year], but I'm really surprised and really happy to be here and to play for the win today, to be in the game," he said at the finish of stage 1. "It's so good to feel that I have the level to maybe win a stage. It's just a pleasure."
"Maybe yes, but I think it's the game," he said. "I wanted to try when I felt like the legs were pretty good, so no regrets today. I did my best, and third is really, really good for my first time. I think there are good things to do this week."
"It was a hard day, a good pace, but then the final was a bit special," Gall explained after the stage. "There was no team who really took control. It was just Paul and me so for us it's important to..."
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