The rain fell steadily on the carpark outside the team hotel Friday evening as mechanics with Modern Adventure Pro Cycling made final adjustments to their Factor and Ostro bikes, preparing for a landmark season. The fledgling American team, founded by former professional rider George Hincapie, has received a coveted invitation to compete in the 2026 Paris-Roubaix, marking a significant debut for the squad in one of cycling’s most prestigious races.
Modern Adventure’s invitation to “the Hell of the North” is particularly notable as it comes in their first professional season. The team will as well participate in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne this Sunday, adding to a growing list of WorldTour events on their calendar, including the UAE Tour and Volta a Catalunya. The invitation was announced Thursday by race organizers ASO, alongside the unveiling of the 2026 routes for both the men’s and women’s Paris-Roubaix races.
Hincapie, a veteran of the race himself with seven top-10 finishes including a second-place result in 2005, expressed his excitement. “Having the opportunity to race Paris-Roubaix in our first season as a professional team is both unique and hugely exciting,” he said in a team statement. “It’s a race that’s close to my heart, one I have great memories of as a rider and now, together, we get to experience this from a whole recent angle.”
The team’s mechanics were observed working on two distinct bike models: the Factor One, known for its highly aerodynamic design, and the Ostro Vam, a lighter-weight option. Riders reportedly favor the feel of the Factor One, though both models were prepared for potential utilize. The bikes were equipped with a mix of SRAM Force and Red components, CeramicSpeed bottom brackets, and Michelin Power Cup tires.
Seven other ProTeams received invitations to the men’s race alongside Modern Adventure: Cofidis, Pinarello-Q36.5, Flanders Baloise, TotalEnergies, Tudor, and Unibet Rose Rockets. The 2026 edition of Paris-Roubaix will be the first to feature both the men’s and women’s races on the same day, April 12th, with the women’s race concluding after the men’s.
Hincapie has also indicated ambitions beyond Paris-Roubaix, stating the team aims to compete in the Tour de France, though acknowledging it may be a challenging goal to achieve within the current UCI cycle. Modern Adventure recently earned membership in the MPCC, an anti-doping movement, further demonstrating their commitment to clean racing.
