Sawt Falasteen - Teenage talent Seixas delighted after 'marvellously tough' Tour de France stage

Seixas has been in the top 10 overall since the opening stage in Barcelona two weeks ago, but he has gradually snared a few seconds here and there from his rivals for a podium finish in Paris.

And on Saturday, his third place finish on the mountainous 155km stage from Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering allowed him to leapfrog Juan Ayuso into fourth, and snatch the best young rider's white jersey from the Spanish 23-year-old.

"It's incredible, it was marvellously tough, another very difficult stage, we're starting to get used to them," said the 19-year-old Tour debutant.

"I really enjoy this, I trained really hard for this.

"It's a great pleasure to have the white jersey and to still be in the running for the podium."

He even earned himself a pat on the back from four-time champion Tadej Pogacar at the finish.

At one point on the final climb up the Col du Haag, it looked as though Seixas would even take third place from Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel.

But the Belgian finished strongly on the rapid 6km run to the line to keep that position, although Seixas is only 15 seconds behind him now, with another tough mountain stage to come on Sunday.

"That gives me even more confidence for what's to come, although there is a long way to go and the toughest is yet to come," he said.

"The general classification is the most important thing but it's great to have this jersey."

Sunday's 15th stage finishes with a brutally tough climb up to Plateau de Solaison.

"It's not very far from my grandparents' home, I have a flat not far from there," said the Decathlon CMA CGM team leader.

"I know the climb well, it's very hard -- it's difficult to have a tougher climb.

"It's going to be a great stage. I hope we're going to finish the week well.

"If it's like today, that would be perfect."

- 'A bit more grinta' needed -

Seixas's confidence was not misplaced after he showed his strength on the Col du Haag near the German border.

When race leader Pogacar attacked 1.5km from the summit, he dropped everyone.

But Seixas emerged as the strongest contender after two-time former champion Jonas Vingegaard.

Initially distanced, he managed to drag back the Dane by the summit, while the other pretenders for a podium finish crested the climb 10-20 seconds later.

That bodes well for the imposing week to come, in which there are four more uphill finishes and an individual time-trial -- a discipline in which Seixas excels.

Vingegaard lost 10 seconds to Seixas at the finish, including bonus seconds, but he extended his gap to third-placed Evenepoel to 34 seconds.

Once again, though, while he demonstrated that he was the second strongest rider in the race when the gradients rose, he shed valuable seconds to his rivals for a podium finish on a flatter or downhill section before the finish.

"Well, it was not a bad stage, I got quite some answers about myself at least -- that my legs are where I want them to be -- so, I'm happy," said the 29-year-old.

Although Pogacar extended his overall lead to four and a half minutes over Vingegaard, he said he felt the remaining mountain stages suit the Dane.

"He's there, he's really strong, and I think he also knows this," said Pogacar.

"But I think he knows also that he just missed a little bit of a punch, a bit more grinta (grit).

"It's a small percent and he's there with me.

"So, I would not count him out for the next days.

"Tomorrow is a good climb for him and also Alpe d'Huez, both stages are really suited for him."

C.Hamad--SF-PST