A pro rider since 2005, few would've expected, specially Robert Gesink himself that he would be leading a Grand Tour at this point of his career. Today is one of the most important days in his career as he leads the Vuelta a Espana.
"I can not believe it. I am grateful to the boys, they were so bizarrely strong. I am very grateful to be able to wear the red jersey, that is certainly one of the highlights of my career," Gesink said in a post-race interview. With Jumbo-Visma riding the 23 kilometers the fastest on today's opening team time-trial, Gesink was allowed to, as a home rider, to cross the line first.
On his 16th season with the Dutch team, Gesink has seen the rise and fall of several generations. He himself has been a leader of the team many years ago, but has settled with a domestique role in recent years, with a lot of experience and a key part of the team's Grand Tour structure. He's put on the red jersey today in Utrecht, a very meaningful gesture to the 36-year old.
“But of course you have to finish it. Anything can happen along the way, but the team certainly had a chance to win. We have such strong guys in this squad and it looked good," he said. The Dutch team took 13 seconds on INEOS Grenadiers, and it was also enough to give Primoz Roglic an early lead in the GC fight, making for a perfect day for the home team.
“Or that the plan was to go that fast? The plan was mainly to stay with Primož Roglič and the other strong guys!” My job is normally to help the team and Primož. This is a very nice way of them to thank me for my help over the years. To wear the red jersey tomorrow is a dream come true," he concluded.
Although he will likely loose it when the race arrives in Spain, he will at least tomorrow have the red jersey on his shoulders, a proper reward for years of hard work.
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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- He was a child two years ago
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
- Good Point, I wonder if he's been testedmhfrvz03-11-2026
- A busy boy!Lozza03-11-2026
- I hope 2027 is his year.mij03-11-2026
- why does he have to? many GT riders from Froome to Contador to Indurain didn't do them.mij03-11-2026
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🇪🇸 #LaVuelta22 𝐋𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐣𝐚! ❤️ For all those thousands of KM’s you rode in front for your teammates. For all the setbacks. For your neverending loyalty. Enjoy this, Robert. 😍
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