"Tadej Pogacar is a big candidate" but Mathieu van der Poel only eyes victory at Paris-Roubaix
Cycling
On the eve of Paris-Roubaix, all the preparations are done into what is the final major cobbled classic of the spring. Two-time defending champion Mathieu van der Poel is at the top of the list of favourites which stretches amongst several riders, and his health has improved since the Tour de Flandres.
"It got worse by riding the E3 Harelbeke. Three days after the E3 I was really sick in bed and decided to take antibiotics. During the Tour of Flanders I still wasn't at my best, but I was able to defend myself well and still made it to the podium," he shared this Friday.
After the Ronde itself he did not feel good. “But that’s not surprising. It was a really hard effort on Sunday and I still hadn’t fully recovered. Fortunately, it’s Friday now and I feel a lot better, I think I’m good enough to defend my title. I felt really stiff for two days, but fortunately that passed quickly," he also said of his crash.
Now the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider departs for what is one of his biggest goal of the season, although the pressure will mostly be on his rivals to win. “We have a great team here anyway. Five of the six teammates were also there in 2024, while Jonas Rickaert was part of the team in 2023. I think experience really counts in a race like this.”
The victory is the only goal in his mind, less than that would likely not be satisfying if the victory does not come home to the Belgian team. “I always do that and that will be no different now. Of course it won’t be easy, but that’s the mindset I’ll take to the start. If I’m not at my best, I’ll do everything I can to keep the victory within the team. Jasper Philipsen has already shown that he’s capable of winning this race.”
On his main rivals he did not expand much on his thoughts, but aknowledged the obvious: “Tadej Pogacar is a big candidate, but in Flanders we have also seen that Wout Van Aert, Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven are at a very high level. And then of course there is Filippo Ganna…”
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Final stretch and tests. The Hell is waiting us! 😈 @parisroubaix #AlpecinDeceuninck #ParisRoubaix
— Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team (@AlpecinDCK) April 11, 2025
📷 @visualsofharry pic.twitter.com/wzMO21Hwuf
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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