apEX one Major from matching dupreeh at Cologne

Vitality captain Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire told reporters on media day in Cologne that a victory at the Stage 3 Major would give him five Major titles, equalling teammate Peter ‘dupreeh’ Rasmussen. He called the tournament “super important” to end discussion over the game’s greatest players.

The team arrived in Cologne after a month away from competition. Vitality last played at IEM Atlanta, where Natus Vincere eliminated them in the quarter-finals. The squad used the trip to the United States largely as a break between events after winning five trophies earlier in the season.

apEX described the preparation plan as a short break at home followed by a focused training block. He said the group purposely reduced practice time to avoid burnout, then moved into a two-week ramp-up that combined days at home with a bootcamp. He told reporters, “A week off is not enough sometimes to get better and rested, so we decided to do that.”

On the field of competitors, apEX listed recent rises from teams such as Spirit and Falcons and noted Natus Vincere’s Atlanta win, but he emphasized Vitality’s view on opponents. He said the team treats every opponent as potentially strong and focuses on its own game plan, adding that when Vitality delivers “our A game, no matter who, they have no chance.”

apEX recalled that when dupreeh joined Vitality in 2022 he held four Majors while apEX had one. He described matching five Majors as a personal milestone and expressed a wish to achieve it in Cologne in front of family members attending the event. He said equalling dupreeh would reflect hard work and some luck.

Away from competition, apEX confirmed conversations with teammate Nathan ‘mezii’ about parenthood. He is expecting a child and said he does not yet know how becoming a father will change his priorities, adding he will understand the impact once the baby arrives.

Vitality has structured goals across tournament blocks to manage a crowded calendar and pursue records. The team won a Grand Slam earlier in the season; apEX has previously argued that a Grand Slam is harder to win than a single Major. The squad enters Cologne aiming to defend form while managing rest and practice over the remaining events.