"6.5 watts per kilo is not enough to become the favorite for the Vuelta a España" - Patrick Lefevere
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel's climbing abilities have for several years been a topic of great important within the peloton and also of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team, and Patrick Lefevere has had further comments regarding his young prospect.
In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Lefevere has talked about the Belgian team's young talent: "The data is a reference point for cyclists, but it doesn't change me. What are they for if you don't know the exact weight and don't take race tactics into account? I don't worry much about this," he said.
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This was taken on the context of Evenepoel's ascent at the Tour of Norway in which he was said to have averaged 6.5W/Kg for 30 minutes, numbers "which even Tadej Pogačar would not have done this year" Lefevere said at the time.
He has now drifted back on his confident stance, or at least reassured that the pressure would not be on Evenepoel at the Vuelta a España where he will be focusing on the overall classification. “Doing better than Pogacar means beating him in the race. 6.5 watts per kilo is not enough to become the favorite for the Vuelta a España," he pointed out. Evenepoel is set to return to competition at the Tour de Suisse this upcoming week where his climbing skills will be put to the test once again.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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