“I don’t think he really attacked” - Paul Seixas leaves Tom Pidcock stunned with relentless Il Lombardia masterclass
Cycling
Tom Pidcock could do little more than acknowledge the strength of Paul Seixas after the 20-year-old rode him off the wheel on the Civiglio en route to a historic victory at Il Lombardia.
Pidcock had been one of the few riders initially able to stay close when Seixas lifted the pace on the decisive climb, with Giulio Ciccone also briefly holding the Frenchman's wheel. The Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team leader eventually slipped backwards, however, as Seixas continued to ride away from the strongest riders in the race before taking his first Monument victory.
“I don't think he really attacked,” Pidcock told Cycling Pro Net afterwards. “He just kind of made his own pace, a high pace. He was super strong.”
For Pidcock, the damage had begun before Seixas made the difference at the front. He felt he had been too far back heading into the penultimate climb and had already spent energy moving himself into position before trying to follow.
“I think I had bad position going into the penultimate climb,” he explained. “I made a bit of an effort to come to the front, went a little bit deep, got onto Paul's wheel and paid for it. I felt really good today, but on that climb I just went into the red and that was it. Other than that, I was okay.”
Pidcock left chasing after Civiglio
Once Pidcock lost contact with Seixas, the podium battle moved away from him as well. Enric Mas climbed through the race to take second, while Ciccone held on for third, leaving Pidcock to finish sixth at 1:20.
It capped a strong but frustrating end to the season for the Briton, who had repeatedly put himself in contention through the autumn without managing to turn those performances into a major victory.
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Pidcock also admitted that his relative lack of familiarity with the route had not helped, with the 2026 edition taking a different direction through the Como finale than the one he had previously raced.
“I think today I also suffered from not knowing the route so well,” he said. “It was the first time I'd done it this way, so that's definitely an advantage to have. But no excuses. I just wasn't strong enough. That's how it is.”
Pidcock eventually came home sixth, 1:20 behind Seixas, bringing his autumn campaign to a close with another high placing but without the victory he had been chasing.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Well, that is a good point but probably no one. Seixas might be close. We will see in the next two to three years.PogiSloFans10-10-2026
- Things do need to change. Everyone, journalists in particular need to hold the UCI’s feet to the fire and bring about real change so this isn’t repeated!Paul53110-10-2026
- There is one common denominator in all of these situations, the UCI. If the race organisers ignore the recommendations of SafeR or they fall below the standards expected or a reasonably competent race organisation by allowing vehicles onto the course and endangering riders lives then surely the one organisation that can exercise sanctions is the UCI. It seems that the UCI big wigs are very happy to drink champagne in the VIP enclosures and bask in the glory of these events but are a toothless tiger when things go wrong. How many Finley Tarling or Muriel Furrer incidents does the sport have to endure until the UCI starts acting? I have to say that it’s encouraging the riders have made a protest and full marks to Adam Hansen for his endeavours, it can’t be easy trying kick such an intransigent organisation to actually do something more useful that legislate on sock lengths and handlebar widths!Paul53110-10-2026
- Oh come on!Lozza10-10-2026
- I left a comment after Pidcock nearly stopped racing the other day but cyclinguptodate either terminated the article or archived it. Basically what I said was that cycling journalists need to keep following up on these type of situations and constantly asking the UCI and organisers what they are doing on the back of these protests. It’s not just a test of the regulators and the organisers but a test of how independent you journalists are. Is it just that you don’t want to rock the boat too much or are you prepared to push these things through and hold people to account? Time will tell.Paul53110-10-2026
- Thing is, who will ever be as good as Pogi?Lozza10-10-2026
- Once again Del Toro proved he will NEVER be Pogi... NEVER... not even close. People were already talking about him going to another team, so he wouldn't only be Pogi's domestique, but no... he better stay in UAE, help Pogi, and Pogi will help him and give him a win or two every year.PogiSloFans10-10-2026
- Once again Del Toro proved he will NEVER be Pogi... NEVER... not even close.PogiSloFans10-10-2026
- A little harsh, especially on del Toro who’s had a great couple of seasons! Suffering with a bad knee and probably shouldn’t have been racing today. I’m no Remco fan, so not sad to see him lose out today! As a massive Pogi fan I really hope Pogi will be back to his imperious best SOON!Lozza10-10-2026
- I can't believe he actually did it! Giulio Pellizzari also needs a shout out for a crazy ride that he did, pulling for 50 km (though that includes the bit he shared with Roglič) What I find most impressive about Seixas is his lack of off-days (cramps are different; off-days are bad from the start). He's been consistent all year, and that's quite similar to the 2024-and-beyond-model of Pogačar. Remco performed as I thought he would, a repeat of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Big disappointment was del Toro. I'd had sone questions after he failed to drop Fisher-Black on Thursday but I expected him to be in the fight.
Rafionain-Glas10-10-2026
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