"I haven't even thought about losing for a second" - Tadej Pogacar talks about confidence ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel
Cycling
Few riders get to have the confidence of Tadej Pogacar and for good reason. Almost every single race the Slovenian touches he turns into a victory, and he is looking to do so for the second time at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
“I don't regret skipping this classic. It was terrible to see the boys in action in the snow and rain. Still, I don't think that tough day will have much influence on Sunday's result," Pogacar told Wielerflits ahead of the race, regarding Flèche Wallone where all of his teammates abandoned. "After a few days, everyone has fully recovered from such a day... It will be an open competition. We can expect attacks well before the finish. A lot can happen, because this is a long race with an extremely high elevation gain."
Pogacar has won Strade Bianche and the Volta a Catalunya (alongside four stage wins), and finished third at Milano-Sanremo. Over the past month he's been training in preparation for the Giro d'Italia and the Belgian classic, and with no exaggeration he is the absolute favourite to win it. “I haven't even thought about losing for a second," he jokes.
His main rivals can be a group of riders, depending on how they feel today. The headliner obviously being a wildcard in Mathieu van der Poel. “I like to race against Mathieu. Although I will have to keep an eye on more riders on Sunday than just Mathieu. This classic is better suited for climbers than for a heavier rider like him. But, we know he can do anything... At first glance you think more of the lightweights, but with his punch in the legs you can never ignore Mathieu.”
Over the past two years it was Remco Evenepoel who won here. But Pogacar couldn't battle with the Belgian as two years ago he was a late absence due to a death in the family, last year he crashed out. This year it was Evenepoel's injuries which prevent the battle from happening. “His absence certainly affects the race." Not only him, but Primoz Roglic, who was involved in the same crash at Itzulia Basque Country which decimated a field of quality riders.
"From the beginning of the year I had actually been looking forward to competing against him (Evenepoel, ed.) in this classic. Just like me, Remco loves Liège, so it would certainly have been an interesting battle. But just like last year, when I fell, unfortunately we won't get that interesting race. Cycling sucks sometimes.”
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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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👋🇧🇪 In Liège, for the Liège-Bastogne-Liège team presentation. #WeAreUAE 🇦🇪 #UAETeamEmirates #LBL
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