In the great staircase of his career, Paul Seixas does not skip a single step, but he climbs them at a running pace. The young Frenchman’s authoritarian victory over Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday confirms a surprising propensity for ease when it comes to destroying the walls on which he was supposed to break his teeth to build his body.
Or as Steve Chainel, consultant for Eurosport, more aptly tells us: “in a few months he ticks the boxes of a guy who normally does things in three to five years. That’s what the hopefuls category is usually for, and he does it among the pros. He’s almost four years ahead, that’s huge. »
A perpetual incitement to ignite
An unspoken rule of French sport is that we refrain from getting excited about emerging talents, mainly in tennis and cycling, two disciplines haunted by the heroes of the 20th century. Except that Seixas is a perpetual incitement to ignite.
Of course, we will not be able to classify him as a great champion in the making with absolute certainty until he has reached the ultimate milestone of the Grand Tours, the only one of value in the eyes of the general public. But the signs of perfection are so obvious that they are already brightening the horizon.
On the Strade Bianche, he flaunted his cash by being the only one to take the wheel of Tadej Pogacar for a while. In the Basque Country, a demonstration of his versatility – first in a time trial, then in the descents. At the Mur de Huy, it was disgusting management and wisdom to tame a merciless climb with the impetuous.
“His behavior in the wall of Huy, from the foot, the tempo, the throttle, the way he brought it all, this temperament, it’s the behavior of the greats,” applauds Chainel. We knew he had tactical and physical potential, but to do it with so much composure is incredible. »
“Seixas is stronger than Evenepoel currently”
It is therefore with this maturity that one cannot read on his still adolescent face that the young leader of Decathlon CMA-CGM presents himself at the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège in the shoes of the new number 1 rival of Tadej Pogacar, the man to beat in all circumstances. His “new toy to break”, to use Pierre Rolland’s phrase on the set of La Chaine L’Equipe.
Because yes, cycling observers have already noted the superiority of Seixas over a certain Belgian prodigy – and we are not talking about his rival among young people Jarno Widar. “In my opinion, Paul is stronger than Remco Evenepoel currently,” says Axel Bouquet, a young rider from the Seixas generation who has ridden a lot with and against the phenomenon among young people.
Steve Chainel thinks no less: “for me it’s Pogacar in one, Seixas in two and Remco a very small notch below”. The main subtext remaining that we will have to revisit after Sunday to see Paulo beat the end-of-game boss with the pedal.
« Pogacar is still above because he has the experience, the perspective and the aura that Seixas will eventually have but does not yet have. But the day Paul will beat him is coming. It is imminent. »
The figures tend to prove the consultant right if we are to believe the words of the journalist from Bike Mag Nicolas Perthuis, cited by The Team. “I asked three coaches the question. They all have the power credentials of every athlete, and Paul Seixas is just below Tadej Pogacar, a tad, but above Jonas Vingegaard and everyone else. »
“In one-day races, there is a match,” Axel Bouquet even wants to believe. Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paul won it among the juniors (in 2024), these are efforts that suit him very well, which are long but not enough for Pogacar to really make him crack. For me, yes, Paul will compete. He will be in the match, and even on the podium. »
An alliance with Remco to bring down Pogi?
The arrival of the Decathlon runner whatever happens has the merit of adding an unknown factor to the equation and potentially more interest in Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, especially in the case of a contingency alliance between Seixas and Evenepoel to stop the Pogacar machine and prevent it from failing. “Even though Pogi has excellent speed, he will want to finish alone. So if the trio arrives together, it is because the other two will have succeeded in taming Pogacar’s attacks,” predicts Chainel.
To achieve this, it will probably be necessary to avoid the sin of pride which consists of wanting to isolate oneself alone against Pogi. You don’t beat Achilles in a regular sword duel. Van der Poel had burned his wings during the last Tour of Flanders: while Evenepoel was on the verge of catching up with them, the Dutchman preferred to pass relays with the world champion until blowing up the Belgian in the pampas rather than delaying, before being atomized himself in Old Kwaremont.
Find all our articles on Paul Seixas
For his reunion with the Slovenian, less than two months after his crushing defeat on the Strade Bianche, Paul Seixas will therefore have to demonstrate wisdom and accuracy. Everything we saw him do on the Flèche Wallonne, in short.
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