"Am I currently in the form of my life?" - Mads Pedersen ready to tackle Hell of the North with very strong Lidl-Trek lineup
Cycling
Attacking and then finishing second behind Mathieu van der Poel at the E3 Saxo Classic, winning Gent Wevelgem by himself with a long solo attack and finish second at the Tour of Flanders ahead of van der Poel and van Aert. Mads Pedersen is having the best spring of his life, and his peak form could be enough to net him a Paris-Roubaix win.
“There is no reason not to be happy. My classics season has already gone very well. We can therefore start Paris-Roubaix with optimism, with the ambition to win the race," Pedersen said in words to CyclingPro.net.
The Dane does put pressure on himself, if anything then the 'Chasing Cobbles' documentary makes it very clear that he does not want to end his career without a monument. This Sunday is the last opportunity to do so this year, “Am I currently in the form of my life? I don't know, but I am certainly in top form. I have never been better in the classics.”
With a very experienced team besides him, Pedersen can count on a lot of tactical racing with Lidl-Trek, joined by Jasper Stuyven who looked perfect in Flanders, Jonathan Milan and other heavyweight rouleurs who've got years of experience in these kinds of races.
Ahead of Roubaix, he has gone with a familiar preparation which seemed to work last week. “We copied our preparation for the Tour of Flanders. That means: rest on Monday, then I trained hard for three days, and then rest again.”
But what will happen on a windy and slightly muddy edition of Roubaix is a mystery for him: “That is difficult to say. It will depend on the wind and the course of the race. It will be a fierce battle again in any case. This race should suit me a bit better, but I have also experienced lesser editions. But, this is the classic that should suit me best.”
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We’re hungry for more cobbles! 🤤
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) April 13, 2025
Our measuring device? Neo biscuits, available in all Lidl stores! #ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/0OEKqmwQ5h
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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