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Last September, Mads Pedersen became the youngest rider ever to win the World Championship men's road race title. Pedersen, then just 23 years old, stunned everyone by defeating Matteo Trentin in a finish sprint after a battle of attrition in the torrential Yorkshire rain.

Procycling (opens in new tab) met Pedersen at the Tour Down Under in January before his debut at the Rainbow Stripes to reflect on that life-changing day and hear how he made it. As it turns out, playing computer games was the key.

"Right after training, I sometimes play a game of Formula 1 on my PlayStation. 'It's a little exercise I do every once in a while ...... to get my body and mind on the same level of fatigue."

One rider still in search of a career-defining victory is Sepp Vanmarcke. With multiple podiums and top-five finishes at the Tour de Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, the 31-year-old Belgian has been most consistent in the spring classics, but has yet to win a major one-day race.

Jeremy Whittle met with the EF Pro Cycling rider to discuss his quest for the classics, his love of gravel, and his fit with the American team.

"Winning for me has always been difficult and will always be difficult," Vanmarcke explained.

The Tour of Flanders is Belgium's largest bicycle race, and its history, geography, culture, and politics create a spectacle like no other sport.

Edward Pickering talks to former rider and now DS Tom Steels about how to succeed in Flanders. Mike Phillips explores the political context in which the Ronde is held, and Stein Vandenberg, a Flemish native born and raised in Oudenaarde, the finish line in Flanders, shares his love of racing with Procycling (opens in new tab).

While Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne were being held in Belgium, the "opening weekend" was taking place in the south of France with the Faun Ardéche Classic and Drôme Classic. Julien Alaphilippe, Vincenzo Nibali, Warren Barguil, and Romain Bardet participated, and Procycling sent photographer Jesse Wilde. With spectacular weather, beautiful scenery, and two fascinating races, it is clear why these races are growing in size year after year.

Lott Sowdall's Dani Christmas is a rare athlete who has represented Great Britain in both track and field and cycling. The former runner only started cycling in 2013, but after seven short years is now in his second year with the Belgian team. Christmas spoke with Sophie Halcomb about her unconventional journey and rapid rise.

No one knows better than Sam Bennett and Shane Archibald, teammates since 2013, how important the relationship between sprinter and lead-out rider is. The two, who started together at An Post and Beulah Hansgrohe, joined Detunink at the beginning of this season. Sophie Smith spoke with the two as they were preparing to run, about why they work so well together.

Also this month: James Witts investigates the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (in short, low-level current passing through the brain) and whether the best physical benefits are in the brain.

William Fotheringham reviews the career of Francesco Moser, one of the two riders who won three consecutive Paris-Roubaix races. Lawrence ten Dam also gives his thoughts on Jasper Steiven's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad win.

Pro Cycling Magazine (opens in new tab): the best writing and photos from inside the world's toughest sport. Buy it now at your local newsstand or supermarket.

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