Paul Seixas explains blunder in Montreal GP sprint: 'valuable lesson heading into the championships’

Paul Seixas seemed to be the man to beat for Decathlon CMA CGM on the decisive Mont Royal climb in the GP Montreal, but in the end, Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates-XRG) proved too strong and too fast for him. The Frenchman acknowledged that he didn’t do everything right in the final of the Canadian WorldTour classic, where the World Championships will also take place on the same course in two weeks.

Seixas saw where it went wrong. “I had a moment of inattention where I looked around to see exactly where we were; I couldn’t find the ‘last 200 meters’ sign anywhere. And well, he picked up the pace, caught me off guard, and played it very smart. In the end, he was simply the strongest in the final stretch, so, well, that’s just how it goes.”

"To be honest, it was a beautiful day today. My team did a great job of getting me into a good position up front. When it comes down to the legs at the end... well, I didn't actually feel particularly good all day," says the Frenchman. "I think I might have been a little too fresh and didn’t put in enough kilometers yesterday, but oh well, that’s just how it goes."

"I had to make do with what I had today. It was still a really great race, and I felt that I've built up more power since the Tour. There's definitely still room for improvement, but today was a great performance anyway. In any case, I hope to take a few more steps forward leading up to the World Championships."

Seixas was on his own against a group of three UAE riders. “That’s right, but of course I tried to conserve my energy as much as possible. It was a very difficult situation anyway. I tried to organize the group a bit and make sure there weren’t constant breakaways. We knew that Remco Evenepoel could still come back.”

"We know what Remco is capable of: he can pace himself perfectly and surprise you at the very end—he’s an absolute standout. So I tried to keep a close eye on everyone. I felt like my legs were stronger than the rest’s, so I wanted to show that I wouldn’t let anyone get away easily, while putting in as little effort as possible myself,” he continues.

"In the end, Remco did come back, and everyone was looking at me a little. UAE tried to pick up the pace on the flatter part of the climb, but at the end, I might have been missing just that one teammate to really make a difference. I pushed a little too hard and was completely spent at the top. But Isaac came by at just the right moment, because I really needed someone to help me make it to the finish. On my own, it would have been very difficult. That’s a valuable lesson heading into the championships."