The Albany Gazette - Seixas relishes 'steep' challenge at Fleche Wallonne

The 19-year-old has underlined his immense potential with a breakout season, riding beyond expectations to win the Tour of the Basque Country, highlighted by landmark performances in both the time trial and mountain stages.

On Wednesday, he will measure his progress on the type of short, sharp climb that can either win a classic or gain major traction on a three-week Grand Tour.

In this case, it is the feared Mur de Huy.

Last year, Tadej Pogacar left Tom Pidcock and Kevin Vauquelin trailing in his wake on the final climb of the Mur de Huy, a 1.3km ascent at an average 10 percent incline with a section at 17 percent in the final 100m.

Dane Mattias Skjelmose, Seixas, Vauquelin and a third Frenchman Romain Gregoire will be the men to watch, with Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel absent as they rest up for Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Seixas wouldn't take the bait of favourite tag.

"I'm here to test myself on this kind of terrain, and I've never gone up against the specialists before," he said.

"I know I'm quite good at it, but I don't feel obliged to win here."

He said something similar before winning three stages and every jersey on offer at the Tour of the Basque Country.

"Obviously I've seen it on television but on the training ride I saw just how steep it is, really steep."

Seixas suggested it might be easier for him to win by a long-range attack and that the weather would play a role in the 200km race with 11 climbs.

He also promised to give Pogacar and Evenepoel a run for their money at Liege-Bastogne-Liege this weekend.

"I never set off thinking second place would be alright. I'm one of the riders who can challenge them, but we'll see about that as the race unfolds," he said.

Bernard Hinault was the last Frenchman to win at Liege in 1980.

"After Liege, we'll make a decision on the Tour de France," said Seixas, who has never tackled a senior 21-day race and is instead thought to be lined up to cut his teeth at the Vuelta a Espana.

Hinault was also the last Frenchman to win the Tour de France, in 1985.

Seixas this month became the first Frenchman to win a one-week stage race since Christophe Moreau at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2007.

That staggering performance in the Basque Country made him the youngest ever winner of a World Tour stage race, a year younger than Pogacar was.

(L.Thomas--TAG)