Stefan Küng more confident of podium towards Tour of Flanders: "The fact that there are few favorites left can certainly have an impact on the race"
Cycling
Stefan Küng has been on rising form and finally reached the podium this spring at Dwars door Vlaanderen. With a damaged field at the Tour of Flanders and a strong collective next to him, the Swiss rider believes he has better chances of reaching the podium of the the Belgian monument.
“I could use a podium place like that, as a confidence boost. Especially because I have had a crazy preparation for it. I was not able to ride Tirreno-Adriatico, but I was able to ride Nokere Koerse and the GP Denain. I was always competing for victories in those races," Küng shared with Wielerflits. "In the E3 Saxo Classic I was also very good physically, but I never had a result. It's good to have something in hand after this race. It is not a victory, but you show that you are there. It's good for confidence, the legs feel good. This is important. I'm ready and looking forward to Sunday.”
The Swiss powerhouse is not a rider who thrives on the steep ascents, but his endurance and tactical knowhow often get him towards the front when it matters the most. Heading into the Tour of Flanders he will team up with former runner-up Valentin Madouas and young sensation Laurence Pithie to form a very strong block in a week where rival teams have significantly lost depth.
Küng has finished fifth and sixth in the past two editions of the Ronde and it is possible that he can jump up a few more spots this weekend: “We have to look at the situation towards Sunday, but we can only really do that once we have the final start list in front of us. But the fact that there are few favorites left can certainly have an impact on the race."
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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.
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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)...
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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