Pogačar mysterious, Evenepoel measured, Seixas bullish: what the top favourites said ahead of Liège

Tadej Pogačar is the man to beat at every race he enters. At Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he will try to defend his title — and he knows exactly where the danger is coming from. Remco Evenepoel won the Amstel Gold Race, and a few days later Paul Seixas was the strongest at La Flèche Wallonne. So what did the big three say on the eve of the race?

Pogačar has won three of his four races this year. He won Strade Bianche straight out of the blocks, took Milan–Sanremo for the first time despite a crash, then won the Tour of Flanders again. Only Paris-Roubaix escaped him — he lost that to Wout van Aert in a sprint.

At Liège, he will be everyone's pick to win. Last year he rode clear on the Côte de la Redoute — but 24 hours out from the race, he was keeping his cards close to his chest. "We haven't talked too much about tactics for tomorrow," he told Cycling Pro Net. "There's not so much to say. It's a long and tiring race, so you need good legs and a strong team."

He knows who his challengers are. What does he expect from Seixas and Evenepoel? "Paul has shown magnificent form so far — I think he's ready for tomorrow. He's motivated and has momentum. And Remco is in one of the races that suits him best. But there are many others we have to watch. It's not just two or three guys."

Evenepoel has won La Doyenne twice, in 2022 and 2023. This year he took a slightly different path to the race than usual. After the Amstel Gold Race, he took some rest. "Monday and Tuesday were easy days," the Belgian explained. "Wednesday I rode a bit more, but not at high intensity. That's why we chose to skip La Flèche Wallonne. After that I raised the intensity a little, so I'll be ready tomorrow."

With his engine, the Olympic champion is hoping for a race that turns hard earlier than usual. "I hope it gets tough from the Côte de Wanne — then I hope the race breaks open. But the Redoute is normally where it all splits apart. I don't see a different scenario this year, and it's up to me to be there, to race smart, and to go for it."

Seixas is only nineteen, but he has already won seven times this spring. He was dominant at the Tour of the Basque Country and at La Flèche Wallonne. Those results have put him among the top favourites for Liège-Bastogne-Liège despite his age — even though it will be his first time racing the Monument as a professional.

Does he deserve that status? "It's true that after the Flèche Wallonne my standing has gone up a little, let's say," he laughed. "But I don't think I have that much experience with Monuments yet. Tomorrow will be a big test. Putting myself in the top three might be a bit ambitious — but I feel like I can be at the front tomorrow. When I start, it's not to do anything other than win."

Of course, he will be up against two former winners who have five victories between them at La Doyenne. "It will be very hard, given the circumstances. But if I could just stay with them — that would already be something. If that happens, we'll see from there. It's a golden opportunity, given the form I'm in. I feel exceptional. I'll give 100 per cent, and we'll see what result that brings."