"At 19, he is the strongest I've seen": David Moncoutié breaks down the rapid rise of Paul Seixas

Paul Seixas is taking the cycling world by storm, and he is set to challenge Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. For former pro cyclist David Moncoutié, Seixas's success doesn't come as a surprise. In a recent interview, he explained what makes Seixas so special and why his current level at just 19 years old might be completely unmatched in modern cycling.

Moncoutié first crossed paths with Seixas when the young rider was in the U17 category. Even back then, it was obvious he wasn't just a normal kid on a bike. While some riders racked up wins in flat sprint finishes, Seixas made his mark by riding away from the field on the toughest courses available.

"My first memory of Paul Seixas is as a rider in the U17 cadets, because he was in the same club as my son at VC Villefranche Beaujolais," Moncoutié recalled. "I was almost convinced he would turn pro. From the cadets onward, you could see he was exceptional. What really shows a rider's talent is making the difference in hard races. You could tell he was already capable of doing big things alone for many kilometers. As soon as there was a climb, he made the difference," Moncoutié told Eurosport.

When Seixas moved up to the U19 junior category, his true potential became even clearer. Junior races are generally harder and feature more climbing, which suited Seixas perfectly. He started winning major events across different terrains, including tough cobbled classics in the north of France. The real highlight for Moncoutié was the 2023 Classique des Alpes, a notoriously difficult junior race.

"When you win by four minutes and there is a high level of competition, it really shows the potential of the rider," Moncoutié said. "Obviously, when he was at the start of a race, especially the hard ones, it was to win. He is a competitor, you can feel he loves to win."

Besides his physical ability, Seixas has caught the attention of the cycling world over the past year because of how relaxed he seems. Despite dealing with massive media attention and the pressure of racing against the world's best professionals, he looks completely unfazed. According to Moncoutié, this mental strength was already obvious during his club days.

"We could feel he wasn't stressed by the stakes, even in the youth categories. I think he was pretty sure of his strength," Moncoutié explained. "It's true he gives this image of a completely detached rider, in his bubble and immune to all the expectations. It's quite impressive. Along with the physical side, you can feel he is mentally ready and can handle a lot."

Seixas recently shocked fans by showing incredible explosive power to win the Flèche Wallonne. Adding that to a victory at the itzulia Basque Country, his results as a 19-year-old are staggering. When asked if Seixas's early success is comparable to the famous precocity of Remco Evenepoel or Tadej Pogacar, Moncoutié didn't hesitate to place the young Frenchman a step above them at this specific age.

"For me, when you look at what he is doing at 19, it's even stronger," Moncoutié stated clearly. "With a Flèche Wallonne and a Itzulia Basque Country already, he is ahead of all the best riders in the peloton in terms of precocity. Of course, a career isn't decided at 19. It's about longevity, the ability to progress, and being there all year long for several years. There is an unknown there, but based on his current level at 19, for me, he is the strongest I've seen."