This wasn't a stage race against punchy climbers — it was a specialist discipline against Ganna and Remco Evenepoel on a course with 290 metres of elevation over 39.2 km. Seixas built his season on Itzulia Basque Country, La Flèche Wallonne, and a runner-up finish behind Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche, all terrain that rewards attacks, not raw power on the flat. Riding within 1:13 of Evenepoel there says he now has a second gear the road race can call on. «Maybe one day I can aim for first» is not a rider settling for supporting cast on Sunday.

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