French 'superhuman' Seixas tipped to challenge Pogacar in Ardennes showdown

His overall victory at Itzulia Basque Country has shifted expectations almost overnight, turning what looked like a promising development year into something far more ambitious.

Among those convinced is Cyril Saugrain of Van Rysel Roubaix, a setup linked to Seixas’s team through the Van Rysel connection. He has been struck by how quickly Paul Seixas has adapted to the demands of the professional peloton.

“He is an emerging pearl, full of talent, an all terrain rider, close to the qualities of Tadej Pogačar,” Saugrain said to Cyclism'Actu. “It still remains to be proven in his results, of course, but what he is showing since turning professional is simply phenomenal.”

The comparison with Pogačar is unavoidable, not just because of Seixas’ versatility, but also because of the way he races. He has already shown he can handle different terrains and situations, from stage racing to demanding one day events, including a strong showing at Strade Bianche earlier this season.

Whether that is enough to win at the very highest level remains the key question, but Saugrain does not rule it out.

“I think he can win one of the two,” he said, referring to La Flèche Wallonne and Liège. “He is capable of it. He is an all terrain rider, a superhuman rider. But he will have to beat Pogačar.”

That challenge looks as demanding as ever. Despite finishing second at Paris-Roubaix, Pogačar remains the reference point of the spring, having already claimed victories at Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders.

Saugrain acknowledged that Roubaix may have ended the Slovenian’s bid to sweep all five Monuments in a single season, but he does not expect any drop in intensity.

“You could imagine that he might ease off a little after that disappointment,” he said. “But I don’t think that’s his style. He has raced very little this year, so he should still be fresh.”

For Seixas, the bigger question may not be Liège, but what comes next. With the Tour de France approaching, discussion has already begun about whether his rise should be accelerated further. Saugrain is careful not to push that narrative too far.

“I think only he has the answer,” he said. “He has the qualities to ride a Grand Tour, that’s clear. But it has to come from him. If he goes and does not win, that is not a problem.”

Behind the scenes, however, there are signs that a debut may already be taking shape. Christian Prudhomme recently told Eurosport that momentum around the young Frenchman is building rapidly behind the scenes, with expectations increasingly pointing toward a debut this summer.

"There is a 90% chance. [...] I have the feeling that he is going to come," Prudhomme said. "What I sense from the various discussions is that a few weeks ago the team was wondering why he should be at the Tour, and now they are desperately looking for reasons not to put him in the Tour."