The fourth monument of the season and the first of the year arrives this Sunday, April 27, where Tadej Pogacar is the clear favorite to win and break the tie with Mathieu van der Poel when it comes to the total amount of won monuments.
With the Dutchman out (incredibly he decides yet another one not to contest a race that could suit his characteristics well), we try to take a look at those who could beat him if the race doesn't go the way the Slovenian and UAE have in mind. We suggest four names and give you the reasons why: Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and Kevin Vauquelin.
Remco Evenepoel
Evidently, the most dangerous for Tadej beyond his bad Flèche Wallonne. Last Sunday in Amstel he proved that he is probably the only rider today who can ride at the same pace as Pogi in a burning classic and managed what seemed impossible: to catch him (he relieved much more than Skjelmose to do so).
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So, in a more than likely distant attack by Pogacar, it seems that Remco would have the best chance of following him. His problem to beat him is that in theory he is slower in the sprint, so he would have to be lazy, not to pull too much, to reserve more strength to try to beat him. It's hard to think that he can leave him on any hill, although for a double Liège winner nothing is impossible.
Mattias Skjelmose
Obviously we have to include in this list the last man who has managed to make Pogacar bite the dust. In Amstel his race was masterful, working with Evenepoel to hunt down the Slovenian and then managing to beat them at the finish.
He has plenty of climbing quality to be among the best, the question is whether he can withstand one of Pogi's attacks on the very hard climbs of a never-ending race. The other question is whether, as Lidl Trek assures us, he suffers no consequences from his crash in Flèche.
Tom Pidcock
His best race of the year was the Strade Bianche where he finished second behind Pogacar. At that time he couldn't hold off the Slovenian and now for the Ardennes he seems to be gradually getting back to form. He was 11th in Brabantse Pijl 9th in Amstel and third in Flèche. Good evolution that shows that he arrives with very good legs to the big goal: Liège. We'll see if his legs are up to the level to hold the best rider in the world.
Kevin Vauquelin
The Frenchman from Arkéa was second in Flèche and that's why he has to be included in this list. He is very good on hard climbs and in a hypothetical race situation with a breakaway he could hold on and is fast to finish. Obviously it is not easy to think that he could be one of those who could hold a Pogacar attack on a hard climb, but his form is there and he could take advantage of it.
Original: Juan Larra
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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