Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert will race Tirreno-Adriatico - These are Visma and Alpecin's '7' for the Italian race
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert were highly awaited to be battling throughout the cyclocross winter, but bad luck struck the Belgian there. The same happened once again at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, where he had to stay home due to illness. However at Tirreno-Adriatico, the duo is finally going to be back racing in the same peloton throughout an entire week, where they may face off in some of the hilly days, whilst preparing for monument season.
The Dutch team is using many of the men who were present at Strade Bianche, maintaining them in the area for one of the spring's top stage-races. Van Aert is naturally the headliner for the team, potentially someone to chase wins in the bunch sprints, the initial stage time trial and also some of the hilly finales that have been designed by the organizers.
The team will split responsibilities between him and Matteo Jorgenson, a strong contender for the final podium or even a potential overall win - despite the likes of Isaac del Toro, Primoz Roglic and Antonio Tiberi at the start. Steven Kruijswijk will be supporting him in the more mountainous stages; whilst the team focuses heavily on its classics block. Filippo Fiorelli may also get freedom to chase some results; whilst Tim Rex, Owain Doull and Timo Kielich complete the lineup.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike for Tirreno-Adriatico 2026
| Rider |
| Wout van Aert |
| Matteo Jorgenson |
| Tim Rex |
| Owain Doull |
| Timo Kielich |
| Filippo Fiorelli |
| Steven Kruijswijk |
Alpecin-Premier Tech in the meantime is missing Kaden Groves, but intended to be at the start line with what could almost be called their 'Tour de France lineup'. In preparation for the cobbled classics, the Belgian team is pulling out all the stops in Italy, using the race as preparation for all of their leaders. Mathieu van der Poel is the great headliner in the race, making a return after last year where he placed twice on the podium, but wasn't able to capture a stage win.
This time around he is back to leadout duties for Jasper Philipsen who is going to be fighting for the sprints; having his right-hand man Edward Planckaert also present. The team is ready for the long chase throughout the flat stages, with Silvan Dillier in the lineup as well.
Tibor del Grosso is going to be present, after starting off his season at Strade Bianche; and the '7' is complete by Emiel Verstrynge and Michael Gogl who will also have their opportunities to perform in the hilly days, whilst supporting van der Poel who will stand the best chances there.
Alpecin-Premier Tech for Tirreno-Adriatico 2026
| Rider |
| Mathieu van der Poel |
| Tibor del Grosso |
| Silvan Dillier |
| Michael Gogl |
| Jasper Philipsen |
| Edward Planckaert |
| Emiel Verstrynge |
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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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- PogiSloFansUpToDate: The Tadej Pogačar Foundation has awarded scholarships for the 2026/2027 school and academic year in Slovenia. It received more than 60 applications from young people who have faced cancer, and all of them were approved. This year, Pogi's Foundation has therefore signed scholarship agreements with 63 recipients, totalling €166,000. This is almost double last year’s amount, when it awarded 35 scholarships worth €94,000. Pogačar: "We believe in you and your dreams. Now I’m cheering for you."PogiSloFans12-11-2026
- as we all like the david-style rebels, he will leave a gap.Ketterechts12-11-2026
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