Analysts reflect on Uijtdebroeks' problems: "There will definitely be some internal review within the team"

Cian Uijtdebroeks faced another setback in Tirreno-Adriatico. The Belgian had struggled with leg fatigue and acidification throughout much of 2024 and believed the issue was resolved at the start of 2025. However, during the Italian race, the problem returned. Several analysts have been discussing Uijtdebroeks' struggles.

Michel Wuyts shared an encounter with a cycling scout in the podcast Wuyts & Vlaeminck. "Mark down Uijtdebroeks’ eighth-place finish in the 2023 Vuelta, because that’s the best grand tour result he will ever achieve," the scout told him. Wuyts pointed to the stark contrast between Uijtdebroeks' emotions on and off the bike. "The gap between the crying boy and the eternal joker is just too big," said the cycling commentator.

Former pro Laurens ten Dam also took note of Uijtdebroeks breaking down on camera after his disappointing performance in Tirreno-Adriatico’s queen stage. "Uijtdebroeks told Sporza in tears that the problem from last year suddenly came back overnight. But how is that even possible?" said Ten Dam, who doubts that it’s related to a iliac artery constriction, which had already been ruled out last year. "I had a similar narrowing, and it doesn’t just suddenly return. That issue was already ruled out through testing, because that’s the first thing you consider when dealing with acidification."

Ten Dam sympathizes with Uijtdebroeks, as he mentioned in his Live Slow, Ride Fast podcast. "It always seems like he’s pushing from his absolute limit. It could be that he’s already reached his peak. He’s not explosive, either. In today’s peloton, it’s tough for a rider who doesn’t have a high five-minute VO2 max. Especially in an era where guys have been training with power meters since they were fifteen, drinking beet juice, and following all the performance hacks we discuss in our Beter Worden podcast."

Read more below the photo!

Jim van den Berg: "Uijtdebroeks is not in a happy place"

Trainer Jim van den Berg agrees with the concerns raised. "That was tough to watch, really sad. He’s not in a happy place. Cycling seems more like a burden than something he enjoys. With his move to Visma, there was already a lot of drama around him—rumors about group chats where he was supposedly being bullied. Just a lot of unnecessary distractions."

Van den Berg highlighted how Visma | Lease a Bike initially viewed Uijtdebroeks as a huge bargain. "They brought him in thinking, ‘Wow, we’re getting this massive talent for next to nothing.’ Signing him was worth a little celebration—one of Belgium’s biggest young prospects. He’s only 22 years old. But now, the team will have to ask themselves: do we really want five full-time coaches and the entire medical staff focused solely on Cian?"

Van den Berg emphasized that talent development is never a simple equation. "People assume that because he’s so young, there’s still a huge margin for improvement. But that’s not always the case. I don’t know about his situation specifically, but if you’ve been doing everything right for five years, it’s easy to assume that your progress will naturally lead to becoming a top grand tour rider. But what isn’t there now could still change in three years. You hope he finds his way, but I think he’s really struggling right now. I feel for him," Van den Berg concluded.

Read also

Wiggins outraged over INEOS' celebration after Paris-Nice: "As if they were a French team"

Week 11 for Wout van Aert, "problems" for Pogačar, and final preparations for Philipsen: How these Milan-Sanremo favorites spent their week

Crying Uijtdebroeks at wit's end, Visma | Lease a Bike must keep calm after apparent relapse

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe