"He reminds me of Tadej" - Pogacar's 'aura' matched by Paul Seixas, French captain argues
CyclingThursday, 24 September 2026 at 17:13
Paul Seixas has the opportunity to follow in Tadej Pogacar's footsteps by winning the World Championships this Sunday in Montréal. Such wouldn't come as a surprise for Pavel Sivakov, Pogacar's teammate; but a rider who will back Seixas up and has been stunned by his level in training.
Pavel Sivakov is a rider that currently sits in a limbo. Whilst he has been one of Tadej Pogacar's most trusted men for years at UAE Team Emirates - XRG, that partnership is set to end.
And Sivakov will most likely join Decathlon CMA CGM Team at the end of this season, something which has been reported on for several months. The Frenchman sits in an unique position, and will be teaming up with Seixas this Sunday already as compatriots.
Leading up to the race the duo have trained together, and the similarities cannot be ignored. “He reminds me of Tadej. Physically, he is a level above. When we go riding together, he destroys us," Pavel Sivakov said in an interview with Le Telegramme.
“When they are on the bike, they are unquestioned leaders. You can feel it. They have that aura.”
In different phases of their careers, but Sivakov undoubtedly is one of the riders who understands both riders best, and how they compare.
“Tadej has a lot of experience, while Paul has only just started. That’s maybe where I can give him a few pieces of advice, things I know that he hasn’t had the chance to experience yet. They don’t overthink things".
Pavel Sivakov
Seixas flies to Montréal to win rainbow jersey
But the ambition for Sivakov, Seixas and the French team is clear: Win the rainbow jersey. With Pogacar injured and absent from the worlds, about a dozen riders have gained a realistic foothold at a career-changing victory.
“He comes here with the ambition to win. That makes everything different". The French have a strong team with plenty climbers but one rider who appears above all.
Whilst Sivakov does not reveal tactics, indirectly he might have hinted at France's goal:
“I don’t think it will be a tactical race. The favourites will stay in the wheels and start attacking each other in the final part of the race.” This could mean France is planning to keep the race under control for Seixas.
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Sivakov fully devoted to Seixas
And the truth is that the UAE rider himself has admitted that he does not travel to Canada with his own personal ambitions, despite his quality. In 2024, he was the one rider to have been able to follow Pogacar after his race-winning attack in Zurich, proving crucial to his trade-teammate's victory.
“He is always prepared to lose in order to win, to let others make their moves before making his own effort," he said of Seixas. "You need a lot of confidence to race that way. If I have to ride from kilometre zero, I will. I’m here for Paul.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- this is going to be such a great race - so many top riders fighting to battle it out, and it is wide open.mij24-09-2026
- In 2024 Tadej said: I actually like Remco, he speaks his mind which in many situations is OK and good, but sometimes it would be good to say nothing. It depends on the situation. I have a good time with him, we laugh and joke around a bit."PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- I think MVDP and Tadej like him a lot too. not sure about europeans, small e intentional as everything in europe is smaller than the USA.mij24-09-2026
- Especially when they see that redneck maga cyclist, wrapped in an ugly american flag, with long hair and a mustache. Boo maga boooooooo ...PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- "My pick for the win is Isaac Del Toro" Hey Santiego, I would be thrilled if Del Toro won. I hope your words become gold... because Del Toro is the "student" of "professor" Pogi. :)) If Wout V. Aert wins, I will also be happy. He's a great cyclist and a good person, more good hearted and kind compared to Remco, but Remco is also a BIG favorite.PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- I like Pidcock. He's one of the few riders that can give Pogi a good battle: Strade Bianche, MSR and other occasions. At MSR, this year, he went with Pogi to the finish line... yikes, he almost beat him.PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- OMG, how many records can be set in only one WC road race: Remco or Del Toro or Seixas or... ??? All because of one cyclist, that didn't make it to the WC. The same course in Montreal where he wins every year. The G.O.A.T. is injured... and some cyclists became lucky... they all got an early Christmas present from Pogi-Santa.PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- Yeah... he's mostly liked by the americans (small letter a)... because his personality is like the maga Trump voters... big mouths.PogiSloFans24-09-2026
- What's the deal with how thick the rainbow stripes are on a former winner's kit? Seems like some of the former World Champs keep their stripes pretty slim, but then Remco has big fat ones (which lowkey irritates me) - is there actually a UCI rule, or is it just rider's discretion?wrsty24-09-2026
- I like Pidcock but he's not a leader. He's a great racer but will never be better than he occasional sage winner or classic guy on the road under the right situation. Ineos wanted him to lead the their team and win stage races, he couldn't take the pressure, which is fine, not everyone can.awp24-09-2026
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