Bruyneel puts Seixas as second favourite for Liège, but he will have choices to make: 'does he go with him, or not?'

Wednesday's Flèche Wallonne was Paul Seixas' race. The young French talent for Decathlon CMA CGM rode to a commanding victory, and laid down a marker heading into Sunday, when he goes head to head with Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Johan Bruyneel reviewed Wednesday's race and ahead to Sunday on his 'The Move' podcast.

Seixas was simply the strongest rider on the day according to Bruyneel. "On the Mur de Huy it is very straightforward. Seixas accelerated, but everyone — including him — was already at the limit. The rider with the best legs wins. Full stop." All the more impressive, then, that the young Frenchman did it on his debut, given the pressure and his age.

Sunday brings the real test, of course, when Seixas lines up against Tadej Pogačar at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Bruyneel's prediction: "He is the second favourite. Pogačar remains the top favourite, and Seixas is second. It would be something special if he can follow Pogačar on La Redoute — because that is where Pogačar so often makes the difference."

And if he can? "Then it gets really interesting to see what Seixas does: does he go with him, or not? After La Redoute you get La Roche-aux-Faucons — a climb I think suits Seixas even better than La Redoute. Pogačar probably has a bit more raw power, so La Redoute is where he can make the gap."

That said, Bruyneel still sees one advantage working in the world champion's favour. "It remains a Monument, with a distance of almost 260 kilometres. That does work against Seixas. But still: in this form, he will be there with the three favourites. Off the top of my head, it is Pogačar, Seixas and Remco Evenepoel. And that is a stronger field than at the Flèche Wallonne."

On the Mur de Huy, Seixas had beaten Mauro Schmid (second) and Tulett. "With all due respect: Mauro Schmid, Ben Tulett and Benoît Cosnefroy are not at the level of Pogačar and Remco." So what if Evenepoel had been there on Wednesday? "Seixas would still have won. Remco would probably have finished top three, but he would not have beaten Seixas."

That all bodes well for Sunday. "It is going to be a tremendous test. And tremendous to watch too, to see exactly where Seixas stands relative to Pogačar. So far there has been one direct meeting — at Strade Bianche. Pogačar did ride Seixas off his wheel there; Seixas finished second. But was Pogačar at 100% then? And Seixas? We don't know. Both appear to have been in good form all season. Sunday is the big test."

Bruyneel flagged another rider who had caught his eye on the Mur de Huy: Ben Tulett. "He was the last rider who could stay with Seixas. He had been ill or injured — he didn't start the Amstel Gold Race. In his interview he said he didn't even know if he was going to start," Bruyneel said of the day's third-place finisher.

That third place was a significant one for the Visma | Lease a Bike rider. "It was his first podium in a WorldTour race, so it was a very important day for him." A welcome bonus for the Dutch team, who had seen Ardennes leader Matteo Jorgenson crash out before the race. "A rider who takes his chances when the big leaders aren't there," was Bruyneel's verdict on Tulett.