The hype and expectation about Paul Seixas' talent and his ability to duel with Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche seems unstoppable, but the French teenager seems able to handle it all.
With a Gallic shrug, wise words beyond his 19 years, and natural inner calm, Seixas played down his chances of somehow beating or even staying with Pogačar on the gravel roads of Tuscany, yet he remained quietly ambitious. His predestined talents appear natural.
"I don't read what people say about me, but for the moment, any comparison with Pogačar is not real or relevant," Seixas said when asked by Cyclingnews at the Strade Bianche team presentation in Siena on Friday afternoon.
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"When you see what race I did and why they're comparing me, it doesn't make sense. I'm just focused on my training and on progressing. Maybe one day I can stay with Pogačar. But I know what I can do, and I just hope to give 100%."
Seixas may be modest, but barring crashes and punctures, he is expected to be close to Pogačar's wheel whenever the Slovenian decides to accelerate on the decisive gravel sectors and slice open Strade Bianche.
Seixas appears to have great spring form and showed his WorldTour credentials at the recent Volta ao Algarve and by winning last Saturday's Faun-Ardèche Classic with a 40km solo attack.
"I will try to follow him because I'm here to do my best," Seixas made clear.
"But we've all seen how he's progressed, and he was already dominating. We'll see what happens out on the road."
Seixas and his Decathlon CMA CGM teammates conducted a detailed Strade Bianche reconnaissance ride on Thursday. He twice raced the Eroica Juniors stage on the same roads and is a talented cyclocross rider.
"Strade Bianche is a great race, the most beautiful race of the year. The views and roads are magnifique. I'm really happy to be racing," Seixas said of Strade Bianche.
"We did some tests the other day, riding sectors six and seven (San Martino in Grania and Monte Sante Marie), then the later sectors on the circuit (Montaperti, Colle Pinzuto and le Tolfe).
"We tried different tyre pressures to decide the best one. We didn't have any punctures, so that's a good sign, though the race will be different. We'll need good bike skills and the right trajectory, then some luck with crashes and punctures."
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