Highlights: Seixas romps to GC triumph as August takes final stage
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Saugrain has been completely blown away by the performances of Seixas, who delivered a jaw-dropping Itzulia Basque Country success earlier this month.The 19-year-old has been tipped to take the cycling world by storm and challenge the likes of Pogacar for top honours.When asked by Cyclism’Actu about the current landscape of the peloton, Saugrain dubbed the teenager “an emerging pearl” and compared “superhuman” Seixas to his Slovenian counterpart.”He is an emerging pearl, full of talent, an all-terrain rider, close to the qualities of Tadej Pogacar,” he said.
“It still remains to be proven in his list of achievements, of course, but what he is demonstrating since his arrival in the professional ranks is simply phenomenal.”
And Saugrain is confident that Seixas has what it takes to win major World Tour one-day races such Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Fleche Wallonne, continuing: “I think he can win one of the two, I think he is capable of it. He is an all-terrain rider, he is a superhuman man.
Seixas reflects on ‘insane week’ after winning Itzulia Basque Country
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“But he will still have to beat Tadej Pogacar, who was just beaten at Paris-Roubaix.”With the Tour de France getting underway later this year, Saugrain was also asked whether Seixas would compete in the historic race.
The 52-year-old, though, believes the decision must come from the rider himself rather than team demands or media pressure.
“I think only he has the answer,” Saugrain outlined. “I have no conviction myself. I think that given his qualities, when you are capable of doing what he does and evolving at his level, going to a Grand Tour is without question.
“He is capable of doing it, he has the qualities to do it. Now, does he want to go to the Tour? And if he goes to the Tour and does not win, is it dramatic? Many say that if he goes, it is only to win.
“I am not convinced. If he goes and does not win, because the objectives he set for himself were different, it is not dramatic.”
‘The next big talent’Saugrain’s praise for the Frenchman echoes Decathlon CMA CGM director Heinrich Haussler’s comments on “next big talent” Seixas earlier this month.Speaking on The Cycling Show, available to watch on HBO Max, Haussler said: “His mental approach, the way he rides, the way he follows the peloton, the moves in the final, for a 19-year-old, I’m completely blown away with his talent.
‘Speechless’ Decathlon sports director ‘blown away’ by ‘next big talent’ Seixas
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“He is the next big talent. I don’t have words. I can’t describe it. Like now, I’m speechless. I don’t know the words to find to describe Paul.
“I’m really curious to see what he’s capable of in the next years and this pushes the level from the whole team, because if you have a rider like that and you go to the start line, everyone knows, not just the riders but also the staff: okay, we’re here to win.”
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