Teams & Riders Cian Uijtdebroeks - From the wetlands to the top of cycling

[QueenStagiaire]

He actually seems like a very pleasant and enthusiastic guy. Humble. Perhaps this is the first recorded instance of a young belgian behaving in such a manner?

I don‘t know, I think Uijdtebroeks interviews have been recorded before, he always talks like he‘s taken all of the antidepressants.

 

[Didinho]

He will have his new made TT handlebars today. They haven’t done a lot aero but started from his Bora position and tweaked it with little things. Like putting his hands as close as possible to his face.
The main focus was getting more flexible and putting out the power in that position.

Before the Tirreno they did a recon of this TT. They won’t change bikes for the climb. (As I expect no GC riders will switch).

Hope he’ll do well today, which indicates the form is good for the mountains to come.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

He will have his new made TT handlebars today. They haven’t done a lot aero but started from his Bora position and tweaked it with little things. Like putting his hands as close as possible to his face.
The main focus was getting more flexible and putting out the power in that position.

"No, no, Cian I wasn't hitting you with your own hand. I was merely trying to put it as close to your face as possible".

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Interview (video + transcript) in Dutch, his TT is a long term project (2 years), feels more comfortable on the bike now and can output his power better.

Cian Uijtdebroeks kijkt reikhalzend uit naar tijdrit, die waardemeter wordt: "Het begint echt beter te voelen" | sporza

Lang was het de zwakke plek van Cian Uijtdebroeks, maar onder de vleugels van het immer wetenschappelijke Visma-Lease a Bike maakt de jonge Belg stappen op de tijdritfiets. Dus kijkt hij met gezonde spanning uit naar een volgende test tegen de klok. "Ik ben heel benieuwd waar ik sta", zegt...

sporza.be

 

[Red Rick]

He will have his new made TT handlebars today. They haven’t done a lot aero but started from his Bora position and tweaked it with little things. Like putting his hands as close as possible to his face.
The main focus was getting more flexible and putting out the power in that position.

Before the Tirreno they did a recon of this TT. They won’t change bikes for the climb. (As I expect no GC riders will switch).

Hope he’ll do well today, which indicates the form is good for the mountains to come.

So that's the ideas any couch potato coulda told you. It's kinda funny he made such a big issue about TT prep at Bora, now he's moved to his dream team and it's all like "yeah the TT is a long term project".

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So that's the ideas any couch potato coulda told you. It's kinda funny he made such a big issue about TT prep at Bora, now he's moved to his dream team and it's all like "yeah the TT is a long term project".

That's not why he left or claims he left Bora though, the Chrono de Nations TT was just the straw that broke the camel's back. I think what happened during the Vuelta was a bigger factor, just like it was for Roglic.

 

[Lui98]

Interview (video + transcript) in Dutch, his TT is a long term project (2 years), feels more comfortable on the bike now and can output his power better.

Cian Uijtdebroeks kijkt reikhalzend uit naar tijdrit, die waardemeter wordt: "Het begint echt beter te voelen" | sporza

Lang was het de zwakke plek van Cian Uijtdebroeks, maar onder de vleugels van het immer wetenschappelijke Visma-Lease a Bike maakt de jonge Belg stappen op de tijdritfiets. Dus kijkt hij met gezonde spanning uit naar een volgende test tegen de klok. "Ik ben heel benieuwd waar ik sta", zegt...

sporza.be

I think he will do a good TT today, he will surprise a lot of people.

 

[Didinho]

So that's the ideas any couch potato coulda told you. It's kinda funny he made such a big issue about TT prep at Bora, now he's moved to his dream team and it's all like "yeah the TT is a long term project".

That was one of the reasons he left I guess. Just typing what his trainer said in an interview for the newspaper. His TT position wasn’t actually bad, his posture was (holding a flexible position longer and getting the numbers).
And I think Visma is saying that with every rider, 1-2years untill they have a lot of TT results/data as reference for what he can hold or to change a pacing plan etc.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think he will do a good TT today, he will surprise a lot of people.

We'll see. It will be a good indication of the (lack of) progress he has made in that regard. He is in good form and with the climb at the end, he has no excuse for a bad TT.

 

[peterfin]

That was one of the reasons he left I guess. Just typing what his trainer said in an interview for the newspaper. His TT position wasn’t actually bad, his posture was (holding a flexible position longer and getting the numbers).
And I think Visma is saying that with every rider, 1-2years untill they have a lot of TT results/data as reference for what he can hold or to change a pacing plan etc.

Not having the team support and a satisfying plan to improve his TT results was likely a bigger factor in his frustration than making big improvements immediately.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Not particularly bad, but not particularly good either.
5s slower than Bardet, half a minute slower than Lutsenko, 48s slower than O'Connor, 55s slower than Thomas, 1m34s slower than Tiberi.

Not awful. Let's leave it at that.

 

[peterfin]

Yes, decent TT but not much more than that. He lost less than a minute on Thomas but it was partly because Thomas was breaking down on the climb. Also, Cian was not much better than Ganna on the climb. I was expecting him closer to Martinez and O'Connor who gained 30s.

 

[Rackham]

Yes, decent TT but not much more than that. He lost less than a minute on Thomas but it was partly because Thomas was breaking down on the climb. Also, Cian was not much better than Ganna on the climb. I was expecting him closer to Martinez and O'Connor who gained 30s.

He did a good TT until the climb. Ironically.

 

[Red Rick]

These ITTs are so funny in how they show the importance and effects of pacing. The gap between those who just go all out from the start and those who can save that bit for the finale are huge.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

These ITTs are so funny in how they show the importance and effects of pacing. The gap between those who just go all out from the start and those who can save that bit for the finale are huge.

Uijtdebroeks was 10th fastest on the climb, so that wasn't the issue here. Rubio lost a lot more, even Thomas was 20s slower.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Not particularly bad, but not particularly good either.
5s slower than Bardet, half a minute slower than Lutsenko, 48s slower than O'Connor, 55s slower than Thomas, 1m34s slower than Tiberi.

Not awful. Let's leave it at that.

if Arensman continues to improve, and I'll wait with that until the next mt stage (tomorrow?) then that is going to be the biggest issue for white

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

if Arensman continues to improve, and I'll wait with that until the next mt stage (tomorrow?) then that is going to be the biggest issue for white

Nah man, his dad said the trainers screwed up completely and that he would lose time on purpose working for Thomas

 

[Statze2]

Pretty ok TT, better than expected. Will be interesting to see if the second TT is also that „good“ or if it was a Performance on the Upper end of the range. And lets See how much his TT effort today effects the Mountain Stage tomorrow.

 

[iBanesto]

 

[Berniece]

He’ll be back in the top 5 after today, maybe even top 3 is he’s able to drop O’Conner

 

[peterfin]

He’ll be back in the top 5 after today, maybe even top 3 is he’s able to drop O’Conner

Top 3 if he is able to drop O'Connor and Thomas. It's not impossible but I doubt he can make a significant gap today.

I do hope he is back in the white jersey after today. It could become an interesting battle with Arensman after the next TT, especially if G stumbles and Arensman becomes the leader. It's still one of the sideshows that can make this Giro a bit interesting.

 

[Berniece]

Top 3 if he is able to drop O'Connor and Thomas. It's not impossible but I doubt he can make a significant gap today.

I do hope he is back in the white jersey after today. It could become an interesting battle with Arensman after the next TT, especially if G stumbles and Arensman becomes the leader. It's still one of the sideshows that can make this Giro a bit interesting.

I wasn't able to see that stage so besides the outcome I don't really know how he was riding. Let's see if he's able to drop some people today. Maybe a bit difficult because the stage isn't hard enough. Mostly looking forward to Sunday.

 

[Netserk]

He says he has a sore throat. Luckily for him, it's the best time in the race for that.

 

[Berniece]

He says he has a sore throat. Luckily for him, it's the best time in the race for that.

Indeed, nothing major until saturday

 

[Hugh Januss]

I must confess to being something of a Visma fanboy, that being said I really don't quite understand the level of attention that blobloblo gets. Granted he's only 21 and he hangs on well, but that's really all he does. He seems to have absolutely no snap at all, zero ability to change speed, and yet for a mega-diesel his TT skills(?) are surprisingly mediocre. Plus he pedals like he's trying to kick holes in the pavement. With all that and the way he came over to Visma I gotta say I have a hard time warming up to him. He may be my least favorite Visma rider since Tobias Foss.