“Tadej Pogacar still has something extra” – Vincenzo Nibali backs world champion to see off Seixas & Evenepoel at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Cycling
Vincenzo Nibali sees Tadej Pogacar as the rider still holding the decisive edge ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, with the Italian pointing to a gap that neither Paul Seixas nor Remco Evenepoel may yet be able to close.
That view comes with obvious context. Pogacar is a three-time winner of La Doyenne, having taken victory in 2021, 2024 and 2025, and his last two wins came with the kind of decisive long-range attacks that have made him the defining rider of the modern Ardennes era.
For Nibali, that dominance is not just a matter of history, but of what he continues to show in the present, insisting that “Tadej Pogacar still has something extra,” said the Italian in analysis on TNT Sports.
It is a judgement shaped as much by Pogacar’s 2026 campaign as his past success in Liège. Victories at Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders have highlighted his ability to impose himself across vastly different race profiles, while his runner-up finish at Paris-Roubaix reinforced that even outside his ideal terrain, he remains central to the outcome.
Seixas emerges as the closest challenger
Whilst Nibali places Pogacar firmly at the top of the hierarchy, his analysis also reflects the growing noise around Paul Seixas ahead of Sunday’s Monument.
The 19-year-old arrives at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on the back of a defining week, having become the youngest winner in the history of Flèche Wallonne. That result, added to his second place behind Pogacar at Strade Bianche and his dominant overall victory at the Tour of the Basque Country, has accelerated his rise from promising talent to genuine contender.
“We’ve seen him battling against Tadej during Strade Bianche recently, trying and searching to keep him close,” Nibali noted, pointing to the first clear indication that Seixas can operate at the same level as the sport’s biggest names.
That performance has fed a wider narrative in the build-up to Liège, with Seixas increasingly framed as the rider most capable of disrupting Pogacar’s dominance.
Vincenzo Nibali at Milano-Sanremo 2026
Praise… but a clear line drawn
Even within that praise, Nibali’s assessment remains grounded. “Maybe he can stay close, but Tadej, in the end, is also faster, so I think it is still difficult for Seixas to beat Tadej.”
It is a distinction that matters. Matching Pogacar on a climb or over shorter efforts is one thing. Beating him in the decisive phase of a Monument, where strength, endurance and race instinct all converge, is another challenge entirely. “I don’t think he can already compete with Tadej. He is still very young.”
That balance between rapid progression and remaining gap defines Seixas’ position heading into Sunday. The level is rising quickly, but the final step and overturning Pogacar, is the hardest to take.
Evenepoel completes the leading trio
Alongside Pogacar and Seixas, Remco Evenepoel remains central to the race dynamic. A two-time winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Belgian brings both experience and proven success on this terrain. His ability to sustain long-range efforts offers a different kind of threat, particularly if the race opens up early on the key climbs.
Yet even within that elite group, Nibali’s view reinforces a familiar hierarchy. Pogacar is not just another contender. He is the standard against which the others are measured.
Tadej Pogacar during recon for Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2026
The challenge facing the rest
Liège-Bastogne-Liège has repeatedly been shaped by the rider capable of making the decisive move on the final climbs and holding it to the finish. For Seixas and Evenepoel, the task is clear. They must not only respond when Pogacar accelerates, but find a way to surpass a level that, for now, still appears just out of reach.
Nibali’s verdict leaves little ambiguity. Pogacar remains the benchmark, and the rider everyone else must find a way to beat.
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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- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
- I agree that, for Evenepoel, the Euro championship is overshadowed by the slightly off Lombardia and Worlds. However, I disagree that "Ciccone also made a serious mistake at the European Championships" because I don't think he had a win in the bag although he could have won with a perfect bike throw. Guesswork about the finish is not evidence by me for some serious mistake. Sometimes you just barely lose - although Ciccone's sourpuss about it persona was serious.flyer14-11-2026
- I bet you photobombed the video since you are his shadow!frieders314-11-2026
- Skipping the 2027 TDF would be fine in my opinion, and if so, it further reveals that him racing it in 2026 was a good decision. Seixas speaks confident, almost cocky, these days (not meant to be a criticism) and I find it a tad humorous that people (rather commentators) continually chide and advise on how Decathlon should direct and manage Seixas when Paul seems to be calling all his shots since well before this year's TDF.flyer14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too.Lozza14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too. So Zonnewotsit can stick it!Lozza14-11-2026
- Who’s gifting grand tours at UAE? Defo not Pogi! Stage wins maybe.Lozza13-11-2026
- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
- they have no expertise with classics, they have no leaders in classics. the classics is dominated by the few Fuori Classe riders where other riders are left with scraps. the Hiring , the salaries dont make sense at all. Same problem as Man Utd. over paid players, egos, very little performanceabstractengineer13-11-2026
- Contract year means you gotta win, at least collect UCI points, helping be damnedabstractengineer13-11-2026
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