Lukáš Kubiš inspired by Peter Sagan as he leads Unibet Tietema Rockets charge into debut Paris-Roubaix
Slovakian revelation in Spring Classics heads up French squad at the biggest race in their history
While Tadej Pogačar's debut at Paris-Roubaix – and talk of whether he can triumph on his first start – has dominated the build-up to Sunday's race, there is another major debutant set to line up in Compiègne.
Ambitious ProTeam Unibet Tietema Rockets are set to round out their most comprehensive and most successful cobbled Classics campaign yet.
The team, founded two seasons ago, made their WorldTour racing debut at last year's Amstel Gold Race. This season, they've hit the cobbles at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad before taking on Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Nokere Koerse, Scheldeprijs, and more.
Paris-Roubaix is next on the menu, with up-and-coming Slovakian racer Lukáš Kubiš leading the line. The 25-year-old, racing in the Slovakian champion's jersey he won last summer, has been one of the revelations of the spring, scoring sixth at Omloop, top 10s at Kuurne and Nokere Koerse, a win at the hilly 1.1 race, the Cholet Aggro Tour, and a fifth place at the Tour de la Provence.
Kubiš's 415 points have played a major role in the team's current 25th place in the world rankings, while their performances – in addition to their newly-acquired French registration – have seen them score an invite to the Queen of the Classics.
"It's perfect. We really appreciate the opportunity to be here," 25-year-old Kubiš told CyclingPro at Saturday's team presentation. "For me, as a small kid, I was watching almost all the editions on the television, and now I'm part of it, so it's amazing."
Speaking to RTBF, his teammate, French racer Axel Huens, said that the team's invite to Roubaix "changed our season". To celebrate, the team has offered coach trips for fans travelling from Utrecht, Antwerp, and Paris for the race.
Unibet Tietema Rockets has documented their road to Paris-Roubaix in a series of Youtube videos, including one filmed at a recon of the cobblestones back in mid-March. They also produced a video based on Kubiš's recent contract renewal, suggesting they're very aware of the talent they have on their hands.
He's signed through the 2027 season, fending off interest from any WorldTour teams who may have been watching his progress with interest.
"For sure, it's a surprise for me because as a small kid, I was watching on the television and watching Peter [Sagan] was winning all these races," Kubiš said of his spring so far.
"It's a pleasure to be part of that. Omloop was the biggest race of my life. In that moment I was disappointed because I was sixth, but now... No, no, for sure not. It was the biggest race, and it was a top 10 for me, so I'm happy about that."
He'll now co-lead the team at Paris-Roubaix with Huens, following in the wheel tracks of his idol, 2018 Roubaix champion Peter Sagan.
"When we did the recon, I saw his shower there in Roubaix. It was amazing for me," he said. "Peter is the most famous person not only in Slovakia but [for us] worldwide. I'd really like to follow his way, you know?"
On Sunday, he and the team will aim at making the day's breakaway, with Kubiš certainly the one to watch if a light-blue jersey hits the front at any point during the 259km race.
"It's one of our plans to be there," he told CyclingPro. "Also, in the end, it's easier for us when you have a guy there in the breakaway, and he can survive all the first selections. Of course, he has to spend more energy to be up there, but yes, it's one of the plans."
Should the unthinkable happen and Kubiš – currently a 200/1 bet to win – crosses the line in the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux first, there'll be a special treat for all the team, courtesy of a clause in his new contract.
"There's a nice extra in the contract," Kubiš joked, alluding to a Flemish cake he first discovered at Omloop. "If we win Paris-Roubaix, we'll have 1,000 mattentartjes."
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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, she had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur. She writes and edits at Cyclingnews as well as running newsletter, social media, and how to watch campaigns.
Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel, and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.
Season highlights from 2024 include reporting from Paris-Roubaix – 'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.
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