Barcelona hosts start of Tour de France 2026 as young French rider Paul Seixas draws attention

Barcelona welcomed the opening of the 2026 Tour de France with a large team presentation on the avenue of Gaudí, near the Sagrada Família. The event highlighted the debut of 19‑year‑old French cyclist Paul Seixas, the youngest participant in a Grand Tour since 1937. Seixas, riding for Decathlon CMA CGM, said his priority is the overall classification and that he will avoid unnecessary risks after recovering from a crash earlier in the season.

Defending champion Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar arrives as the pre‑race favourite, while two‑time winner Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, fresh from a dominant Giro d’Italia, praised his form and expressed confidence of challenging Pogacar. Spanish rider Juan Ayuso also spoke of his ambition to contest the general classification. The start in Barcelona marks the first Grand Tour launch in the city, drawing fans from across Europe and setting the stage for three weeks of racing across the Pyrenees, the Alps and the French countryside.