"A very difficult way to wear Pogacar down" - Analyst points out flaw in Paul Seixas attacks that will make it difficult to challenge Tadej Pogacar
Cycling
Paul Seixas may have blown the rest of the peloton off his wheel with his searing pace in the finale of Il Lombardia, but he should have a more difficult time doing so to Tadej Pogacar. That's according to analyst Thijs Zonneveld, who believes that Seixas has some way to go in his bid to catch up to the Slovenian.
The 20-year-old showed strong form in his first monument win, inviting comparisons to both Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. The Decathlon rider capped off a stunning break-out season that saw him finish fourth place at the Tour de France and take multiple victories.
In an attack that shared similarities to Pogacar's seated attacks, Seixas's diesel effort slowly fought the rest off his wheel while Pogacar's initial attacks tend to offer a firm acceleration to distance himself from his rivals.
"He shows it on terrains where he is currently at his best: climbs of five to fifteen minutes," Zonneveld said in the podcast In de Waaier.
"He then doesn't launch an attack like Pogacar, who attacks with a million-billion-watts and then builds up at cruising speed. Seixas actually strangles them."
Paul Seixas and Tadej Pogacar
Seixas's impressive performance
What impressed Zonneveld was that he held an impressive power of over seven watts per kilogram during the Civiglio ascent. However, the high pace may be difficul;t to get separation from a rider like Pogacar.
"You basically thought: what are you going to do, Paul? But he hammered uphill at more than 7 watts per kilogram until no one was on his wheel anymore.
"That is, of course, a very difficult way to wear Pogacar down. Jonas Vingegaard faces that every year as well. Not having the explosiveness to respond to Pogacar's attack and not being able to make a difference with it. Then it becomes difficult to put Pogacar in trouble."
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Can he beat Tadej Pogacar?
Zonneveld still thinks that Seixas has some way to go before he can challenge Pogacar at full tilt at the Tour de France, pointing to long climbs as well as Pogacar's cruise control final week while Seixas struggled.
"We have never seen anything special from him there, apart from someone who is very good at twenty. It is just not yet at the level of Vingegaard and Pogacar. But then again, he is immediately world-class. A phenomenon we are watching.
"The French see a new phenomenon. Someone who can offer competition to Pogacar. He is the designated rider to really put up a fight, but then again, on the other hand: in the Tour de France, it was still a gaping hole. Pogacar completed the final week effortlessly and was dropped on every mountain stage. Give that boy a few more years..."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- Seixas is exactly what I would like Pogi to be mentally and in his statements. Both come across as shy and who don't talk much but with Seixas, you can see that he enjoys success, that it boosts his ego, unlike Pogačar who seems to feel increasingly uncomfortable the more he wins. He's won so many times, people are saying he's boring. The french media hate him for winning so much, the french cycling fans are booing him... etc. etc. But remember one thing, Seixas will never physically reach Pogi's level. He's excellent, but he isn't at that level nor will ever be. His talking to the media, his relationship with people is already at a high level.PogiSloFans13-10-2026
- Paul Seixas is now the second-best rider in the world.megasmacky13-10-2026
- When will they start dropping Pogi? Oh yeah, when Pogi reaches 40+ years, that's when young cyclists will start dropping him. But until then... eat your hearts out and cry. Pogi will remain the G.O.A.T. for years to come. Capish?PogiSloFans13-10-2026
- I figure he would have found out how to outsprint Paul and take the win, maybe. He's 28 now but I would say he's right at the peak of his powers. It was great race though, Paul showed me something different about himself.awp13-10-2026
- Slowly, very slowly... 5-7 yrs. ;)MajorPayne13-10-2026
- Up to this point: "It is just not yet at the level of Vingegaard and Pogacar." First Jonas, and then level of Tadej. Period!MajorPayne13-10-2026
- The sport has long had a divide between the more diesel-like riders and the more explosive riders. Where does Pogačar fit? His explosive attacks are followed by a high speed diesel climb and he's rarely been caught in the past 5 years (people can name the moments, it's so rare). Seixas is young and we have no idea where his body will end up on this spectrum (just like we didn't with Pogačar when he was 20 and being a diesel up the Vuelta mountains of 2019). Speculation is fun, being a fan while it unfolds is going to be more fun.RidesHills13-10-2026
- yeah it'll be an epoch shift when Pog can't drop people, and/or when they start dropping him.wrsty13-10-2026
- Yes, he won't ride away yet, but he will and that day will be notable
leedorney13-10-2026 - Expect the young French rider to slowly asphyxiate the Slovenian into retirement.
Front24213-10-2026
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