Frances Paul Seixas cut a dejected figure as he passed through the media zone after the UCI World Championships road race on Sunday. He dropped his gaze to the ground, and responding to the press, brandished his performance a disgrace, after he cramped in the finale and fell out of contention. The 20-year-old jostled alongside the favourites until the final 13.8km lap of the 273.4km race. As his rivals attacked each other in a last-ditch attempt to close the tearaway winner, the USAs Brandon McNulty, Seixas posted up in the saddle, holding his left thigh. He went on to finish 15th overall, having said before the race that anything other than gold would be a disappointment. I dont really want to talk about it, he told Eurosport afterwards. What I did today is a disgrace. Cramping up like that, its a childish mistake. Ive never cramped up in my life on a bike.Im extremely disappointed, not only for myself because its what I deserve, but for the whole of France, the whole team, who did an incredible job and dont deserve a leader like me. Second-year pro Seixas has held the spotlight this season as French cyclings next big hope. He won the WorldTour stage race Itzulia Basque Country in April, followed by the one-day Classic La Flche Wallonne, and went on to finish fourth on his Tour de France debut as the races youngest starter in 89 years. He turned 20 last week, three days before the World Championships road race. Berating himself afterwards, he wondered if his downfall had been due to dehydration. Maybe I under-estimated how much I was sweating on the bike, he said. Its hard to be comforted right now. You cant move on to something else so easily. Itll take me a bit of time to process this, I think. Seixas stretches out his cramp beyond the finish line. (Image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix)Frances national coach, Thomas Voeckler, was more forgiving in his analysis of the race. Paul Seixas was part of the race with winners like that, he also told Eurosport, pointing to Paris-Roubaix winner Wout van Aert (Belgium). [Seixas] said before the race that any result other than a victory would be a failure, so he sees it as a failure. He needs time to process it. Its frustrating, but thats sport... Thats what makes cycling. Its no big deal. Im upset for him more than for myself. France worked hard to control the race in the early stages, relying on Bruno Armirail in particular to reel in the days breakaway. Looking back on how the race panned out, Voeckler said he wouldnt have changed the teams tactics. When someone wins, that doesnt mean they did everything right. And when someone doesnt win, that doesnt mean you have to throw everything away, he said. There are disappointed countries France is part of it, as is Belgium but we have to be reasonable; were talking about a boy, and were disappointed because we knew he had the potential to do it, but the guys just turned 20. Seixass chance at rainbow redemption will come on home soil next year, when the Super Worlds are scheduled to take place in Frances Haute-Savoie region, a two-hour drive from his home in Lyon. Despite his disappointment over his road race result, Seixas still left Canada with a bronze medal, earned in the individual time trial.