“We proved that we deserved the invitation” – George Hincapie’s Modern Adventure impress despite setbacks on brutal Paris-Roubaix debut

Paris-Roubaix rarely offers gentle introductions, and for a first-year team like Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, there was never going to be an easy way into one of cycling’s most demanding races. Yet despite a series of early setbacks and a race that quickly moved beyond their control, George Hincapie’s new US project left northern France with something far more valuable than a headline result.

Speaking on the The Move podcast, Hincapie reflected on a debut that saw five of the team’s seven riders reach the velodrome in Roubaix. “We proved that we deserved the invitation,” said George Hincapie.

On paper, the numbers are modest. Ben Oliver led the team home in 47th place, just over eight minutes down on race winner Wout van Aert, who edged out Tadej Pogacar in a two-up sprint after a brutal day on the cobbles. Behind that, Cole Kessler, Mark Stewart and Robin Carpenter all finished in the same group, with Ezra Caudell also making it to the line. Riley Pickrell and Sean Christian did not finish.

But the story of Modern Adventure’s race sits well beyond the results sheet.

The team’s ambitions were clear from the outset. Rather than riding defensively, Modern Adventure looked to place riders into the early breakaway, a move that could have transformed their entire race. When that opportunity slipped away, the day quickly became about survival and adaptation. “We were really aggressive at the start, trying to make the breakaway, unfortunately, it didn’t happen,” Hincapie explained.

That early setback was quickly followed by a more significant blow. “We lost Riley Pickrell early only due to a crash and then a few mechanicals after that,” he added, removing one of the team’s key hopes for a strong result and forcing a shift in approach. “There were all kinds of emotions.”

From that point, the race became less about chasing a placing and more about navigating the chaos of Roubaix with a young and relatively inexperienced group. In that context, simply reaching the finish becomes a far more meaningful measure of performance. “We had 5 out of 7 guys finish, which is a huge deal for us,” Hincapie said.

That sense of progression was not limited to the result itself. For many within the team, Paris-Roubaix represented a first true exposure to the extremes of elite racing, and the response was immediate.

“The young guys were just like ‘I love this, I want to come back’,” Hincapie said. “They finish today’s race, and they want to come back, and they want to get better. Particularly for the young guys, it was great to see.”

It is that reaction that perhaps best captures where Modern Adventure currently stand. This is not a team built around immediate results at the sharp end of Monument racing. Instead, it is a project still in its earliest phase, where experience gained in races like Roubaix carries as much weight as any placing.

That was evident in the ride of Ben Oliver, who spent much of the day in contention with more established names before settling just outside the top 40 by the finish. “I have to remind everybody that it’s Ben Oliver’s 5th race ever in Europe. He was racing criteriums last year,” Hincapie said. “To be up there battling it out for a top 30 at Paris-Roubaix was super fun to watch. I’m really proud of the guys.”

The Roubaix debut also fits into a broader early-season pattern for Modern Adventure. Their first races at the AlUla Tour had already shown signs of promise, with a podium finish on a stage and a strong general classification result pointing to a team capable of competing rather than simply participating.

That early momentum has already translated into opportunities at the highest level, including a WorldTour appearance at the Volta a Catalunya. It marked another step up in level and provided further experience for a squad still in its infancy.

In that context, Roubaix becomes less about the final classification and more about validation. A young team, operating without its key rider for much of the race, still managed to bring the majority of its squad to the finish of one of cycling’s hardest events.

For Hincapie, now navigating the race from the team car rather than the cobbles he once mastered, the experience has also offered a new perspective. “So much planning that goes into this race,” he said. “It’s unlike any other race on the calendar.”

There will be other tests across the remainder of the season, but after surviving Paris-Roubaix with resilience and intent, Modern Adventure have already shown they are not simply passing through the professional peloton.