'Paul Seixas showed magnificent form until now' – Tadej Pogačar stays alert to the threat of 19-year-old ahead of highly anticipated Liège-Bastogne-Liège face-off

Tadej Pogačar has publicly acknowledged the rising threat of 19-year-old Frenchman Paul Seixas ahead of Sunday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Pogačar, aiming for a record-equalling third consecutive La Doyenne title, specifically highlighted Seixas's "magnificent form" and stated his intention to go "all in" against both the young talent and defending champion Remco Evenepoel. This marks a significant pre-race psychological gambit, elevating Seixas's profile dramatically before the Ardennes Monument.

This recognition from a two-time Tour de France winner and reigning Liège champion is highly unusual, particularly for a rider of Seixas's tender age and relative inexperience at this level. While Seixas has shown promise in junior ranks, this is his first major Monument, making Pogačar's focus intriguing. It suggests either a genuine respect for an emerging prodigy or a calculated move to add pressure and perhaps distract from the more established threat of Evenepoel, who remains Pogačar's primary rival for the title.

Pogačar's pre-race comments always carry weight, and framing Seixas as a direct threat is a masterclass in psychological warfare, or perhaps, a genuine nod to the future. Either way, the young Frenchman now has the world's eyes on him.