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Paul Seixas carries the heavy weight of legions of French cycling fans desperate for a true, home-grown star. The 19-year-old has wisely been cautious in addressing his own ambitions and those of his fan base. But, after a dominant performance at Itzulia Basque Country<\/a>, he seems prepared to admit he has some ambitions.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I rival the best in the world? Certainly, though some had to give up,\u201d Seixas told camera\u2019s after Saturday\u2019s final stage of Basque Country racing, referring to the abandons of\u00a0Juan Ayuso and Isaac Del Toro. \u201cThere were some riders who weren\u2019t here, and some who crashed, so I won\u2019t say I\u2019m the best or in the best three, but I know I can play a bit with them and ride at the front with ambition.\u201d<\/p>\n The 19-year-old is taking confidence away from his first World Tour stage race win. He already has results, of course. Seixas finished runner up to Tadej Poga\u010dar at Strade Bianche earlier this spring<\/a>. There he again defeated del Toro.<\/p>\n For the French, Saturday\u2019s win isn\u2019t just confirmation of the young racer from Lyon\u2019s prodigious talent. He is already on the cover of\u00a0L\u2019Equipe<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>who ran the headline \u201cLooks good in yellow.\u201d It\u2019s already the end of a French stage race drought that\u2019s lasted nearly two decades.<\/p>\n The last Frenchman to win a WorldTour-level stage race? Cristophe Moreau. That was back in 2007, when he defeated Cadel Evans at the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9. Seixas wasn\u2019t yet a year old.<\/p>\n Ending that drought obviously amplifies French fan\u2019s thirst to end another, longer-running drought. As hinted at in\u00a0L\u2019Equipe\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>cover shot, French hopes are on Seixas\u2019s chances at the Tour de France. That winning drought now spans four decades. Bernard Hinault was the last home-country winner. That was back in 1985.<\/p>\n Even after \u201cticking a box\u201d with his first stage race win, Seixas still wasn\u2019t willing to soften Decathlon-CMA CGM\u2019s standard response to questions asking when he will start Tour de France.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see after Fl\u00e8che and Li\u00e8ge,\u201d he told Eurosport<\/em><\/a>. \u201cThis week was incredible, we\u2019ll see for the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n