8 riders to watch making their Tour de France debuts in 2026

The 2026 Tour de France will begin in Barcelona with a team time-trial on July 4th, and eight debut riders are highlighted as ones to watch. Among the most anticipated is 19-year-old Frenchman Paul Seixas, who is in just his second professional season but has already won Itzulia Basque Country and La Flèche Wallonne in 2026, and finished second behind Tadej Pogačar at both Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Despite a recent crash at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes raising fitness concerns, Seixas is considered capable of winning a stage and finishing in the top five overall on his debut.