Paul Seixas marked as rider to beat at Grand Prix Montréal

Paul Seixas heads into the Grand Prix de Montréal with the highest expectations in the field after Maxim Van Gils identified him as the rider to beat. The Belgian, who followed the Frenchman at the Grand Prix de Québec, was particularly impressed by Seixas’s speed on the climbs. The assessment gives the Decathlon-CMA CGM rider a leading role in his second race since returning to competition.

The Montreal course offers a demanding test: 214 kilometres, 4,300 metres of climbing and 16 circuits of a 13.4-kilometre route featuring Mount Royal. The parcours is viewed by Seixas’s team as a strong match for his qualities. He will face, among others, Québec winner Remco Evenepoel and Isaac Del Toro.

Seixas finished 18th in Québec, but that result came in his comeback race. Decathlon-CMA CGM sporting director Julien Jurdie believes the Frenchman can be more incisive after having that effort in his legs, and says the team will race with the objective of winning. Seixas was also fourth overall at the Tour de France, while Jurdie described him as physically comfortable and active during Friday’s race. Montréal therefore represents both a major opportunity and an important step in his preparation for the World Championships later this month.