'They don't deserve a leader like me' – Paul Seixas berates himself after 'childish mistake' at World Championships
Twenty-year-old Frenchman cramped in the finale and finished 15th
After completing the UCI World Championships road race on Sunday, France’s Paul Seixas appeared disheartened as he moved through the media zone. He avoided eye contact and described his performance as a "disgrace" following a cramp in the race’s final stretch. The 20-year-old had been riding alongside race favorites until the last 13.8km of the 273.4km event.
As the USA’s Brandon McNulty and others pursued the winner, Seixas held onto his left thigh in pain. Despite finishing 15th overall, Seixas expressed extreme disappointment, both for himself and for his French team. The young rider admitted that cramping up was a "childish mistake" and that it was his worst performance to date. Seixas, who turned 20 last week, had already won a WorldTour stage race, the La Flèche Wallonne, and placed fourth during his debut Tour de France.
He speculated that his downfall might have been due to dehydration, but remained upbeat about his future prospects. France's national coach, Thomas Voeckler, was more understanding, stating that Seixas's result was a failure, but it was not the end of the world. The coach was proud of the team's performance and believed that Seixas needed time to process the setback.
Despite the disappointment, the young cyclist still managed to win a bronze medal in the individual time trial during the World Championships.
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