French cycling prodigy Seixas claims first Monument victory at Giro di Lombardia

French prodigy Paul ⁠Seixas rode solo to claim the first Monument victory of his career at the Giro di Lombardia on Saturday, ahead of Spain's Enric Mas and Italy's Giulio Ciccone.

The 20-year-old attacked 19 km from the finish ‌in Como (Italy) to claim the title ⁠won by Tadej Pogacar for the last five years.

The Slovenian missed the ‌race after crashing at the Vuelta a Espana two ⁠months ago. Seixas won his first Monument – one of the five most prestigious one-day races in professional cycling – in his third appearance. He finished seventh ‌in this race last year and second behind Pogacar at the last Liege–Bastogne–Liege.

Seixas, who finished fourth in this year's Tour de ‌France, pulled clear on the Civiglio climb with 19 km to go. Britain's Tom Pidcock and Ciccone were the only riders able to follow his wheel.

The Frenchman dropped both rivals a few hundred metres later and rode alone over the final 18 km to become the youngest Monument winner since 1944 and youngest ever winner of the Giro di Lombardia.

The Decathlon–CMA CGM rider is the first Frenchman to win a Monument since Julian Alaphilippe at Milan–San Remo in 2019, and the first to triumph at the Giro di Lombardia since Thibaut ⁠Pinot in 2018.

The victory came two weeks after a huge disappointment for ⁠Seixas at the World Championships, where he finished 15th after starting among the favourites.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)