{"id":118995,"date":"2026-04-25T19:24:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/25\/paul-seixas-showed-magnificent-form-until-now-tadej-pogacar-stays-alert-to-the-threat-of-19-year-old-ahead-of-highly-anticipated-liege-bastogne-liege-face-off\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:24:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:24:24","slug":"paul-seixas-showed-magnificent-form-until-now-tadej-pogacar-stays-alert-to-the-threat-of-19-year-old-ahead-of-highly-anticipated-liege-bastogne-liege-face-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/25\/paul-seixas-showed-magnificent-form-until-now-tadej-pogacar-stays-alert-to-the-threat-of-19-year-old-ahead-of-highly-anticipated-liege-bastogne-liege-face-off\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Paul Seixas showed magnificent form until now&#8217; \u2013 Tadej Poga\u010dar stays alert to the threat of 19-year-old ahead of highly anticipated Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge face-off"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-417d42fd-6d75-4ed5-8939-af762d1b7e8f\">Whilst he didn&#8217;t race at Amstel Gold or La Fl\u00e8che Wallonne, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/a> (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has been keeping up to date with the Ardennes Classics, and he&#8217;s ready to be challenged from all angles as he looks for a fourth victory at <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/liege-bastogne-liege\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/liege-bastogne-liege\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/liege-bastogne-liege\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) won the former in a two-up sprint and young French superstar <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paul Seixas<\/a> (Decathlon CMA CGM) the latter, setting the third fastest time up the Mur de Huy in the process. Poga\u010dar has recognised them as his biggest threats, but he&#8217;s taking nothing for granted heading into just his fifth race day of 2026.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-417d42fd-6d75-4ed5-8939-af762d1b7e8f-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">He&#8217;s raced Evenepoel once so far <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/tour-of-flanders-indomitable-tadej-pogacar-solos-to-repeat-victory-with-oude-kwaremont-attack\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/tour-of-flanders-indomitable-tadej-pogacar-solos-to-repeat-victory-with-oude-kwaremont-attack\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/tour-of-flanders-indomitable-tadej-pogacar-solos-to-repeat-victory-with-oude-kwaremont-attack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">at the Tour of Flanders, where he won solo<\/a> with the Belgian taking third on debut, and Seixas once as well at Strade Bianche, where he impressed as the last man to get dropped, but ultimately finished well behind in second.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/i-have-never-seen-anything-like-this-paul-seixas-sends-warning-to-pogacar-and-evenepoel-for-liege-bastogne-liege-with-masterclass-on-ardennes-debut\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/i-have-never-seen-anything-like-this-paul-seixas-sends-warning-to-pogacar-and-evenepoel-for-liege-bastogne-liege-with-masterclass-on-ardennes-debut\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/i-have-never-seen-anything-like-this-paul-seixas-sends-warning-to-pogacar-and-evenepoel-for-liege-bastogne-liege-with-masterclass-on-ardennes-debut\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">An awful lot is expected of the 19-year-old Frenchman<\/a> for Sunday and the long-term. Poga\u010dar is certainly taking him seriously.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think Paul Seixas showed magnificent form until now, and I think he&#8217;s ready for tomorrow,&#8221; he told <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fG_h0AvBJq0?si=w-Y0cuIUE2KGUv24\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fG_h0AvBJq0?si=w-Y0cuIUE2KGUv24\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>CyclingProNet<\/em><\/a> at the team presentation in Li\u00e8ge on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;He&#8217;s very motivated, and he has momentum. Also, for Remco, I think it&#8217;s one of the most suitable races as well tomorrow. But there are also many others that we need to take care of tomorrow. It&#8217;s not only two or three guys that can win tomorrow, but there are many more; we need to be ready for everybody.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;It was good to see the races, also to get an idea of where the competitors are. It&#8217;s going to be tough tomorrow; everybody seems ready,&#8221; he added, speaking to the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hln.be\/wielrennen\/je-wordt-snel-vergeten-he-remco-evenepoel-grapt-over-vele-aandacht-die-paul-seixas-krijgt~a4e41879\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.hln.be\/wielrennen\/je-wordt-snel-vergeten-he-remco-evenepoel-grapt-over-vele-aandacht-die-paul-seixas-krijgt~a4e41879\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" rel=\"noopener\">Flemish press<\/a>. &#8220;It looks like we will have a lot of guys who will fight for the victory.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-hfPetG58uQNYNiBb8EaBk4\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-hfPetG58uQNYNiBb8EaBk4 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-2e82ed29-bd5e-4b13-85be-c2835283de7a\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.70%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/zRbKJDoFVvx5jRC7rdxqeH-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/>\n<\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Seixas and Poga\u010dar after Strade Bianche <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-ef976928-0e87-48f2-9b2b-bca8db456713\">Unlike at Roubaix and Flanders, where, despite obviously being among the very best riders, he is on unfavoured cobbled territory, Poga\u010dar is back in the hills tomorrow at Li\u00e8ge.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s won the past two editions in absolute dominant fashion, so anything outside of victory would be a shock, even in the face of elite rivalry, but his chilled approach to tactics tells you he knows exactly what is required.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I feel pretty good. I&#8217;ve recovered, and I&#8217;m ready to try the climbs tomorrow. The approach is like every year \u2013 yesterday was a nice recon, good last training, and today was a nice easy ride with some coffee,&#8221; said Poga\u010dar.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>&#8220;Tomorrow is all in, we have a good team, and it&#8217;s a hard field of competitors, but we are motivated, and we go like this to the race.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We haven&#8217;t talked too much about the tactics for tomorrow, but anyway, there is not too much to talk about. It&#8217;s a long and tiring race, so you need to have good legs and a good team to support you, so that is the main goal for tomorrow.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Several of the questions posed to Poga\u010dar and his rivals as they spoke in Li\u00e8ge&#8217;s Place Saint-Lampert on Saturday were about the slight changes to the route, with more climbing added to the middle section.<\/p>\n<p>Racing could well be blown up early by one of the top teams, but the key climbs up the C\u00f4te de la Redoute, C\u00f4te des Forges and C\u00f4te de la Roche-aux-Faucons in the last 40km are still expected to decide the Monument Classic.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In this race, last year was already hard; this year it&#8217;s going to be the same, more or less. It&#8217;s always about the fatigue in the legs in the end, so I don&#8217;t think it changes too much. We&#8217;ll see tomorrow if it has any impact,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s quite a different race tomorrow compared to Roubaix, but in the end, it&#8217;s a very tiring race, just like Roubaix, so in that sense it&#8217;s pretty similar, you need to be good in endurance for six hours plus, and I think here we just add some more climbing, let&#8217;s see.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-99837026-6dd8-4081-b96f-43763da56c22\"><em><strong>Get unlimited access to our unrivalled 2026 Spring Classics coverage with a Cyclingnews subscription. We&#8217;ll bring you breaking news, reports, and analysis from some of the biggest races on the calendar, including Amstel Gold Race, <\/strong><\/em><strong>La Fl\u00e8che Wallonne, and Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge<\/strong><em><strong>. <\/strong><\/em><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/sub24\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=SC26\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/sub24\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=SC26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/sub24\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=SC26\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><em><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/paul-seixas-showed-magnificent-form-until-now-tadej-pogacar-stays-alert-to-the-threat-of-19-year-old-ahead-of-highly-anticipated-liege-bastogne-liege-face-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whilst he didn&#8217;t race at Amstel Gold or La Fl\u00e8che Wallonne, Tadej Poga\u010dar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has been keeping up to date with the Ardennes Classics, and he&#8217;s ready to be challenged from all angles as he looks for a fourth victory at Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) won the former in a two-up sprint [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":118996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118995"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118995\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}