Strava times don't lie: Seixas faster than Pogacar on Mur de Huy

He was handed the favourite's tag before the race — but at 19 years old, you still have to go and do it. Paul Seixas delivered, winning La Flèche Wallonne in commanding fashion and writing his name into the record books in the process. The Frenchman is already being compared to Tadej Pogačar — and on Wednesday, he proved why.

There is no consensus on the all-time record for the Mur de Huy. Some measurements have Julian Alaphilippe setting the fastest time ever in 2021, when the Frenchman reportedly climbed in 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Other measurements put that at 2 minutes and 41 seconds — the same as Alejandro Valverde's time from 2014.

Seixas does not reach those marks. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider climbed in 2 minutes and 43 seconds on Wednesday — not an outright record, though he does hold the KOM on Strava for the segment. More interesting, though, is how his time compares to Pogačar's — the world champion to whom he is now being routinely compared.

At La Flèche Wallonne itself, Seixas out did the Slovenian simply by winning on debut. The only other rider to have done that since the finish was moved to the top of the Mur de Huy? Marc Hirschi, who also won first time out in 2020.

Pogačar needed no fewer than four attempts to win the Flèche Wallonne. He finished 53rd on his debut in 2019, then ninth in 2020 and 12th in 2022, before finally winning in 2023. He added a second victory in 2025.

Look at Pogačar's climbing times over the years and it becomes even more striking. His best ever time on the Mur de Huy is 2 minutes and 46 seconds — three seconds slower than Seixas clocked on Wednesday. Pogačar set that personal best in 2023, the year of his first win.

One important caveat: weather conditions play a crucial role in these comparisons. On Wednesday, Seixas had the benefit of a tailwind. Pogačar, meanwhile, faced ice-cold, soaking conditions in last year's rain-soaked edition of the Flèche Wallonne.