The Classics season is approaching, with riders set to experience the first northern rocks on the World Tour calendar at Omloop Het Niewsblad.  

A campaign that sees, as the most anticipated protagonists, the champions Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu Van der Poel , two riders who have practically monopolised the classics in 2025.  

That's why the other riders aren't getting their hopes up, as Decathlon rider Oliver Naesen explained to IDL Pro Cycling: " With those two at the start, you can't really dream much. They also have a world-class team that's completely sacrificing itself for them. I don't know if that's unhealthy for cycling; the market regulates itself. A revolution came with Team Sky, and the teams followed suit, but some also collapsed. The way UAE is racing, with all those wins and UCI points, is quite incredible. They win everywhere and essentially without a real sprinter."

Analyzing the races, there's often been talk of implementing strategies to get ahead of the two great champions , even though, as Naesen explains, it's not easy: "For Flanders, we often talk about getting ahead, but what can you do? Get ahead when there's a train behind you that can run flat out all the way to the foot of the second pass on the Oude Kwaremont and then let the captain do his job? You can't attack on the first pass on the Kwaremont, because then you'll have no energy left in the finale. I don't see a solution."

Naesen then spoke about his very young teammate Paul Seixas , who is already under a lot of pressure from French cycling: “ Seixas is extraordinary, but we absolutely shouldn't say he's the new Pogačar . He's truly exceptional, but he would belittle Pogačar. If he were to go to the Tour this year, which I would absolutely recommend, it's the only time he can be free of pressure. If he finishes eighth, it would be great. If he goes to the Tour after already finishing fifth in the Vuelta, he would have expectations placed on him. Sometimes you have young riders who come up to the pros and are already super professional, they know everything and can do everything. And then there's Paul... He forgot his shoes, he didn't charge his computer, and he arrived without a heart rate monitor. He still has room for improvement, he's very relaxed. And that's a gift for him.”