Having had an alternative run-up to the Ardennes classics, Benoît Cosnefroy has been flying under the radar however he comes as one of the big favourites for the hilly classics after the set of performances he's put on the last few years.
Cosnefroy just finished the chaotic edition of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe where he's finished second in the overall, surviving the final day which saw many crash - including race leader Mads Pedersen. "The weather made this last day more difficult than it looked on paper. The guys did a great job throughout the stage to protect me. With the rain, the finish was tense and the crash a few kilometers from the finish disrupted everything," he said.
Last year his preparation was far from ideal as he began his season just weeks before the Ardennes, but in 2020 he showed his potential by finishing on the podium of Flèche Wallone and Brabantse Pijl, which he will be eyeing after Amstel. This year however, the lead-up has gone better: "I’m happy with my feelings after four days of racing. The first stage is the one where I got the best result but it is not the one where I felt the best. I have been able to build up the pressure day after day this week, which bodes well for the Ardennes classics which are coming soon."
Cosnefroy will perhaps be more fond of the two classics in the coming week which will see steeper ascents, however he will lead AG2R in Amstel Gold Race. Greg van Avermaet and Dorian Godon also come as outsiders, as the race is frequently open for surprises and the cobbles classics experts come in heavy this year.
AG2R Citroën Team for Amstel Gold Race: Benoît Cosnefroy, Mikaël Cherel, Lilian Calmejane, Stan Dewulf, Dorian Godon, Greg van Avermaet and Larry Warbasse.
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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