Paul Seixas was able to follow the world champion’s characteristic attack on the Côte de la Redoute, and went toe to toe for 20 km until losing touch on the final climb.
Cor Vos
The outcome was as expected, but though reigning champion Tadej Pogačar tried his customary tactic of launching on the Côte de la Redoute, this year he had company. Like a limpet, 19-year-old Paul Seixas glued himself to the world champion and did not let go, even sharing the load as the pair got ever closer to Liège.
Pogačar finally shook Seixas from his wheel on the final climb of the Roche aux Faucons with 14 km remaining, gaining almost 30 seconds in the upper half of the 1.3-kilometre test. The young Frenchman – champion of the junior edition in 2024 – had a sizeable cushion over the chasers, led by Mattias Skjelmose who’d made his move from the 26-rider group on the same climb.
Also in the large chase group was former champion Remco Evenepoel who’d had an intriguing day out having got himself into the 53-rider breakaway, or first split, early in the race, only to have his coup snuffed out by the UAE-led peloton. Evenepoel had perhaps paid for his earlier efforts when Pogačar accelerated on La Redoute, but the dynamics in the chase later on brought the Belgian back into contention. One minute 42 seconds after the world champion, Evenepoel won the sprint for third ahead of Emil Verstrynge and Egan Bernal.
Brief results:
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
- Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) +0:45
- Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) +1:42
- Emiel Verstrynge (Alpecin-Premier Tech) st.
- Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) st.
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