Expert places Paul Seixas "on the top shelf with Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar" ahead of Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Paul Seixas is no longer a prospect but a fully formed force, and one of the prime contenders for the next fixtures on the calendar after his emphatic triumph at La Flèche Wallonne. Heading into the upcoming Monument, the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Decathlon CMA CGM youngster is already viewed as one of the three biggest favourites.

The young Frenchman made history as the youngest winner of the Belgian classic. At 19, he won with startling authority on the Mur de Huy. Seixas not only mastered the terrain against riders like Mauro Schmid and Ben Tulett, he also showed tactical maturity far beyond his 19 years of age, confirming his victory was no fluke but the product of a standout engine that already places him next to the cycling's greatest household names.

French media and several international analysts agree we are witnessing the emergence of a new phenomenon capable of challenging today’s dominant figures. Seixas’s win sparked a wave of reactions, especially given the conviction with which he handled one of the most explosive climbs on the calendar.

After the finish, the rider dissected his performance, highlighting his resilience when the race is at full tilt: "I’m strong when the race is hard," said the young Frenchman, who seems to have no technical ceiling. His versatility this season - strong in time trials, uphill finishes, and now on punchy climbs - has led experts like Anders Lund to mark him as the immediate rider to watch.

Attention now shifts to Liège–Bastogne–Liège, where the level rises another notch with the sport’s biggest stars on the start line. The major question around the peloton is whether this young talent can take on the two towering figures: Remco Evenepoel and, above all, Tadej Pogacar.

Coach Anders Lund was unequivocal in placing the Frenchman on the same level as those two stars: "He’s right up there with the greats, and he underlines it in bold. In other words, he’s on the top shelf with Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar."

Although the last head-to-head between Seixas and the Slovenian at Strade Bianche went the UAE rider’s way, the Decathlon rider’s trajectory suggests the rematch at La Doyenne could be far tighter. Lund stresses that Liège’s profile, with longer climbs and deeper accumulated fatigue, suits Seixas even more than the Mur de Huy.

Sunday will also be a key test for Mattias Skjelmose. The Dane arrives as a podium contender after showcasing enviable condition in recent weeks.

According to Lund’s analysis, Skjelmose benefits from Liège being less chaotic in the fight for position, making the race more about pure legs: "The physical impression is that he’s ready. Also, the battles for position in Liège are less intense. If Skjelmose has the legs, it will be easier for him."

With such a broad list of favourites and Seixas’s emergence as a destabilising factor, the conclusion to the Ardennes triptych promises to be one of the most open and spectacular in years. "Seixas is still a touch below Pogacar in terms of favoritism, but he looks, conversely, like Pogacar’s biggest competitor," Lund concluded.