Just six days after his extraordinary bronze medal at the European Road Championships, 19-year-old Frenchman Paul Seixas is preparing to make his debut in the Giro di Lombardia.

Even though the chances of beating the big favorites Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel – the same ones who preceded him at the European Championships – seem remote, there are those who are already comparing the young French talent to these two champions.

Thibaut Pinot, the last French winner of the Classica delle Foglie Morte, has no doubts: 'In my opinion, we haven't seen a phenomenon like this since the days of Pogačar and Evenepoel, especially among those who came directly from the junior category.'

"Perhaps he's even stronger than Pogačar was at his age," Pinot continued. "Pogačar didn't turn pro right after the juniors, and when he finished third in the Vuelta with three stages, he was already 21. So you could say Seixas is ahead, while Remco had already won the Clasica San Sebastian as a pro at 19. Essentially, Seixas is between Remco and Pogačar at the same age."

The qualities that impressed Pinot above all were the consistency he showed throughout the season and the tactical maturity he demonstrated at the European Championships, where he was able to manage himself perfectly despite the pressure of competing on home soil.

Looking ahead, Pinot expects to see Seixas at the Tour de France as early as 2024 with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, while warning about the risks of too many expectations that could weigh on the young French talent in the coming years.

Sprint Cycling Photos