After a turbulent summer and a noticeable dip in form, Vitality still arrive at the Budapest Major as one of the key contenders. The team that dominated the first half of the year struggled to keep the hunger alive after seven trophies, but slowly began to rebuild their momentum. We sat down with Vitality’s in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire to talk about the team’s recovery, the mindset shift inside the roster, and why the coming weeks are crucial if Vitality want to look like the giants they were in spring.
After a difficult period and a noticeable drop in form, Vitality eventually managed to regain their footing. apEX admits that the team needed time to reset mentally — dominance can dull motivation, but losses bring back the fire.
When you win seven trophies in a row, it’s hard to keep the same hunger… but losing hits you so hard that it puts you back on track
How do you personally find a second wind after such a dominant first half of the year?
Well when you win 7 trophies in a row, it’s hard to find the same hunger for everything. But at some point you hate losing so much that you have to get back on track and give your best.
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What aspects of your game — individually and as a team — are the main focus before the Major?
For me the most important is to work on my personal level, for some time now, I’ve been playing worse and I have to step up a bit. As a team, we are losing way too many advantages situation, it’s something we need to get better.
After a tough Summer, Vitality looked refreshed at Blast Bounty and EWC. What changed going into Blast London in September?
Well it was a long 7 weeks of tournament without a break for us, we tried to give our really best because we really wanted to get a new trophy but unfortunately we fell short against G2.
What is your current opinion on the VRS system? What would you change after the Major?
Well VRS is not ideal in my opinion, it’s a ranking based on too recent events imo.
You previously said that VRS is too “jumpy.” Is that your only criticism?
Overall yes.
Once again, Vitality enter the Major as one of the favorites. Do you feel the same momentum you had in Spring?
We know we are one of the favorites but we are not as strong as spring for now, and that’s something we’re gonna try to get better in the weeks before the Major, grind the game as much as possible.
Which teams are you personally looking forward to playing against in Budapest?
It’s always fun to play against the best teams, and FURIA are number 1 for now, Falcons and MOUZ are also really good team coming up to the Major.
What do you think about MongolZ after losing Senzu from the roster?
I think they lost a lot losing Senzu, but they will come back for sure, excited for the future.
More players over 30 remain competitive now. Where do you think the age ceiling is?
Haha, I’m not gonna go until 40, that’s sure, but maybe some players can. Let’s see.
Are you still tracking young French talents? Who stands out to you today?
Well, I don’t have time anymore to watch too many games outside of tier 1. But I know Katkame in France might become a good player in the future, hope French talent will rise again.
What are the main blockers preventing more French players from reaching tier-1?
I think they need to work hard and have CS as their first thing in life, and maybe have better people to coach them.
Maintaining elite form for more than a decade is something only a handful of players have ever achieved. For apEX, longevity has never been about talent alone — it’s about discipline, routine, and an uncompromising work ethic that hasn’t changed since his earliest days in Counter-Strike.
I’ve been a really hard-working guy since I started CS — there’s nothing else but giving your best every single day
SkinClub Pick’em – Stage 3 Prediction
The SkinClub Pick’em for Stage 3 is already live, and you can rely on apEX’s perspective when shaping your predictions. He pointed out the current favorites, the teams with real upset potential, and those who might struggle once the pressure peaks. Use his insight as a guide — or go against it — and lock in your own Pick’em for a chance to secure the top reward.
