"I am really grateful for everything that happens to me" - Fléche Wallone win puts Tadej Pogacar within possibility of winning all three Ardennes classics
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar is in terrific form and just does not stop winning. Amstel Gold Race and Fléche Wallone were two races he had not thrived in the past, but he has comfortably swept both classics within days and threatens to complete the Ardennes triptych with the climbing capacity he currently holds.
“I try to enjoy it as much as possible. I am really grateful for everything that happens to me. Today during the race I have already thought four or five times: what a team I have in front of me. If you think so, then you should finish it. I really got a boost from them," Pogacar said in a post-race interview, thanking his teammates. George Bennett covered several attacks in the final circuit, whilst Diego Ulissi set a very high pace that prevented attacks over the Côte de Cherave, and Marc Hirschi delivered the Slovenian in perfect position to the Mur de Huy.
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UAE Team Emirates did the work they needed to and it was up to the Slovenian to capitalize on it. “This was the plan, yes. We wanted to make it a tough race for the Muur, but after a whole day in the lead, the boys were also very tired. It was a very nervous day and I'm glad I stayed on the bike. At one point I almost fell," he detailed.
Pogacar was very near the front at the first half of the Mur de Huy, and when the gradients tightened he was the first to respond to Romain Bardet. He looked back before making his move, and when the Slovenian accelerated the gap grew right away. Pogacar has conquered the Mur, beating Mattias Skjelmose and Mikel Landa, and this weekend at Liège-Bastogne-Liège he has the opportunity to achieve what only Davide Rebellin and Philippe Gilbert have back in 2004 and 2011 respectively.
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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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- Bingo...I was going to say a 12 year obsessed Pogi fan girlie ! Like she's chasing a teen boy band! All glossy eyed about tadej!frieders312-11-2026
- That stint in the Pink was so good. If memory serves he struggled with the champagne cuz he'd never been on the podium before. I feel like it gave him some self-belief, and yeah - then the move to Visma to be one of their lieutenants has really brought him to the best version of himself.wrsty12-11-2026
- So, you never really compared Paul Seixas with his main rival Isaac Del Toro why jump to Pogačar? They've (Paul & Isaac) raced together here and there, and they've both shared in wins and losses, I think they should be compared to each other, even with Vingegaard and Remco first before even touching Pogačar. From your writing it's like he's better than Vingegaard, Remco and Del Toro already that his main target is now Pogačar 🤔Sadick11-11-2026
- gee i hope its a minor injury. a great rider and ambassador for the sport. get well soon Lucinda.
Davide11-11-2026 - some of lidl-treks retention and recruiting has been puzzling in the mens and womens teams.
Davide11-11-2026 - Yeah his ride at World's was unreal. Over 6 W/kg for over an hour and a half...he single handedly destroyed the break.DAS11-11-2026
- Exactly, you hit the nail on te head.... Ayuso sucks. 3 to 4 years ago some cycling experts were comparing Ayuso as the "new Pogi"... but he's not even close to him... either physically or mentally. Capish you naive schoolboy?PogiSloFans11-11-2026
- I think they expected more from riders like Carlos Rodriguez, Vauquelin and Magnus Sheffield. Imo they should have focused on signing Primoz Roglic, at least they´d probably have had a guaranteed podium GT finisher (he still might sign for them). Now they have 2nd or third tier riders in the classics (Ben Turner, Arensman, Beloki and hopefully Onley can step up again even more). Sheffield, August, Bernal, Tarling and Geoghan Hart did not live up to the star expectations eventually..Jonatan11-11-2026
- Fuuuuuuck, Ciccone and Pidcock on the same team, attacking like crazy and taking it to the other competitors? Yes, please.Occam11-11-2026
- Oh Cameron, this win has been a long time coming! We could not be more proud. All I’ll say is: roll on Glasgow 🔥anonymouscyclist11-11-2026
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🏆Au bout de l'effort, mais ravi, Tadej Pogacar ajoute son nom au palmarès de la #FlecheWallonne ! 🏹 🏆Exhausted, but ecstatic. Tadej Pogacar is your 2023 #FlecheWallonne winner 🏹
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