Why Paul Seixas will race the Ardennes classics but skip the Amstel Gold Race

Now that Paris-Roubaix has been raced, it's time to shift focus to the hill classics. Sunday is already the day for the Amstel Gold Race. The only Dutch WorldTour classic will see several top riders at the start, but Paul Seixas will not be among them. And yet, the Frenchman will participate in the Ardennes races. What’s behind this choice?

It all comes down to Seixas’s young age. His team, Decathlon CMA CGM, considers it wise that the new prodigy doesn’t take on too much at just 19 years old. "Paul can’t race everything at this stage of his career," L'Équipe quotes team manager Sébastien Joly as saying.

So Seixas—who recently won the Tour of the Basque Country in spectacular fashion—will not make his debut at the Amstel Gold Race this year. Decathlon CMA CGM wants their climbing sensation to shine primarily at La Flèche Wallonne (22/04) and, especially, Liège-Bastogne-Liège (26/04). To ensure Seixas is as fresh as possible for these races, selections are being made.

Duel with Pogacar? 
At Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Seixas will face off against Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar. After his impressive display in the Basque Country, the question is whether he can really challenge the world champion in La Doyenne.

In the recent Strade Bianche, the two top riders already crossed paths, and Seixas was the only one able to briefly follow Pogacar when the Slovenian accelerated on the gravel section of Monte Sante Marie. The UAE Emirates rider proved far too strong for the competition, but Seixas made a remarkable debut in the Italian classic by finishing second immediately.