Paul Seixas is a big topic of conversation at the UAE dinner table: 'He has proved he belongs with the best'

Tadej Pogačar will attempt to win his fourth Liège–Bastogne–Liège this Sunday. The Slovenian looks the towering favourite for La Doyenne, but there is competition for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader, including two-time winner Remco Evenepoel. And then there is Paul Seixas. The young Frenchman looks capable of anything in his current form.

Seixas won three stages at the Tour of the Basque Country earlier this month and claimed the overall by a country mile. He lines up at La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday, but Sunday brings the real challenge. He will face Pogačar at Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The two last met at Strade Bianche: the Slovenian won, the Frenchman finished second.

With the legs the young talent is showing, UAE Team Emirates-XRG are braced for a serious fight against the Decathlon CMA CGM leader. "We talk about it, of course," Benoît Cosnefroy tells Eurosport. "We don't focus specifically on him, but we do discuss it sometimes at the dinner table, because what he's doing... it's been a long time since we've seen performances like this. Even though Isaac (Del Toro, ed.) would have fallen into that category too."

Del Toro would normally have formed a strong partnership with Pogačar at Liège, but the Mexican crashed heavily at the Tour of the Basque Country and has had to miss the Ardennes classics.

There are other injuries in the team too, meaning a great deal of pressure falls on the shoulders of Cosnefroy, who finished third at both the Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race.

That makes the challenge against his compatriot even harder. Cosnefroy sees Seixas as a unique talent. "In my view, he belongs in the trio that can challenge for victory. It's still a bike race, nothing is ever decided in advancem but regardless, with what he has shown recently, Paul has proved he belongs with the best. I think there's a fantastic battle in store."

Pogačar, Seixas and Evenepoel look to be the clear favourites for the final spring Monument by some distance. Several potential challengers have already fallen away: Ben Healy, Juan Ayuso and Thibau Nys will not be on the start line, for example.

Among those who will race are Mattias Skjelmose, Christian Scaroni and Tom Pidcock. The Briton has only just returned from a knee injury and is currently struggling at the Tour of the Alps. Whether he will be in form on Sunday remains to be seen.