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

[Netserk]

The damage he did to the sport? Hyperbole much…

No. Undermining the economic system of the sport by unilaterally breaking a contract (and getting rewarded for it) is deeply corrosive and anti-social.

 

[Netserk]

Too long ago mate, but it's ok. I forgive you.

So why bring it up?

 

[Berniece]

No. Undermining the economic system of the sport by unilaterally breaking a contract (and getting rewarded for it) is deeply corrosive and anti-social.

He didn’t undermine the economic system because all 3 parties need to agree. RBH agreed, and they were paid a decent amount for it. Just like they paid SOQ for Evenepoel.

 

[Netserk]

He didn’t undermine the economic system because all 3 parties need to agree. RBH agreed, and they were paid a decent amount for it. Just like they paid SOQ for Evenepoel.

When he unilaterally broke the contract and first announced his new contract, all three parties didn't agree.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So why bring it up?

You brought it up.

 

[Berniece]

When he unilaterally broke the contract and first announced his new contract, all three parties didn't agree.

And eventually they did.

 

[Netserk]

You brought it up.

No, your peculiar comment about me was the first post in this exchange.

 

[Berniece]

Next race he’s riding is Czech Tour. Some climbs might be hard enough to make a difference. He’s also riding EC apparently.

Stage profile Czech Tour 2025

Overview of the stage profiles per stage, showing the number of climbs, intermediate sprints, vertical meters and KOM sprints.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Netserk]

And eventually they did.

And that didn't retroactively undo his prior conduct which he has never apologised for.

 

[Berniece]

And that didn't retroactively undo his prior conduct which he has never apologised for.

Did the team apologise for their bad riders management during the Vuelta or their lacklustre support during Chrono des Nations? That road goes both ways. Maybe if they handled that properly he wouldn’t have left.

 

[CyclistAbi]

In a way Cian apologised when claiming he didn't made any bullying accusations. So was it his manager, some journalist, then, or who made that part up? That one should i guess indeed apologise for the conduct, good luck with that.

 

[LongtimeLurker]

Did the team apologise for their bad riders management during the Vuelta or their lacklustre support during Chrono des Nations? That road goes both ways. Maybe if they handled that properly he wouldn’t have left.

Maybe one day the Chrono truth will come out. When it does, Cian wont look like the innocent victim

 

[yaco]

Maybe one day the Chrono truth will come out. When it does, Cian wont look like the innocent victim

Uijtdebroeks to ITT is like Gigante to descending. It does not work.

 

[Berniece]

Maybe one day the Chrono truth will come out. When it does, Cian wont look like the innocent victim

Or just tell us? It’s not gonna come out otherwise

 

[peterfin]

Very recently Cian and Del Toro were genuinely a debate. I really hope Cian gets it together, figures things out, and fulfills more of his potential. Besides that he seems like a nice guy, and I wouldn’t wish that kind of bad luck and murky situations on anyone.

What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.Hoping to see him back with a huge win soon, him and Bernal I would genuinly be happy to see win a big race just from perseverance.

Del Toro was no competition for Cian prior to 2024 when the road went uphill. Del Toro made a giant leap in 2024 and another one in 2025. UAE seems to be the place to be the last two years, not Visma.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Maybe one day the Chrono truth will come out. When it does, Cian wont look like the innocent victim

It‘s literally called the race of truth, so we‘ll at least get to see Uijdtebroeks‘s true capabilities at some point.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In a way Cian apologised when claiming he didn't made any bullying accusations. So was it his manager, some journalist, then, or who made that part up? That one should i guess indeed apologise for the conduct, good luck with that.

I mean, saying "no, I didn't do that" about something you've done is not the same as apologising for having done it. It's kinda the complete opposite.

If he never made the accusations and it was made up by a journalist or an agent and was actually sorry about it, then he should've come out with that at the time, rather than taking advantage of it.

 

[Berniece]

I mean, saying "no, I didn't do that" about something you've done is not the same as apologising for having done it. It's kinda the complete opposite.

If he never made the accusations and it was made up by a journalist or an agent and was actually sorry about it, then he should've come out with that at the time, rather than taking advantage of it.

I think he wanted to stay away from all of it as much as possible. Probably advised by Plugge. Just let us handle it and we’ll see you in January

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think he wanted to stay away from all of it as much as possible. Probably advised by Plugge. Just let us handle it and we’ll see you in January

That would make sense, but I feel once those accusations were out there then if this was the case, then it was bad advice. If it was him that made those accusations, later saying "no I didn't make them" is just fuel to the fire of him being a liar and a conniver, and if it wasn't him that made those accusations then by not correcting any misconceptions he is tacitly endorsing them by allowing them to proliferate, and obviously he, Visma or both were able to take advantage of that and inappropriately smear another team's name and reputation in order to make personal gain, which is opportunistic and manipulative at best and downright conspiratorial at worst.

None of which really reflects particularly well on the young man.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I mean, saying "no, I didn't do that" about something you've done is not the same as apologising for having done it. It's kinda the complete opposite.

If he never made the accusations and it was made up by a journalist or an agent and was actually sorry about it, then he should've come out with that at the time, rather than taking advantage of it.

You generally apologise for something someone you have no relation with did? If Bora knew whatever was being said was a load of bollocks, they could have pushed for whatever legal and contractual tools at their disposal. In the end they agreed and got paid.

It's quite simple, nobody here knows what exactly happened, whether Uijtdebroeks is the biggest scumbag or whether somebody else had been manipulating him. Whether there was a reason well beyond a higher paycheck or not. I have always thought Vlasov attacking him with the help of Denz in the Vuelta two years ago, was what sparked it all. But it's just conjecture. I personally doubt it was about the money, because it's not like Bora is a nickle and dime team who could not have improved the contract if they had felt he was feeling underappreciated on that front and they really wanted to keep him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You generally apologise for something someone you have no relation with did? If Bora knew whatever was being said was a load of bollocks, they could have pushed for whatever legal and contractual tools at their disposal. In the end they agreed and got paid.

If somebody releases something untrue about you, then you don't need to apologise, but correcting the misconception would show a whole lot more integrity than weaponising and taking advantage of that misconception for personal gain.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Del Toro was no competition for Cian prior to 2024 when the road went uphill. Del Toro made a giant leap in 2024 and another one in 2025. UAE seems to be the place to be the last two years, not Visma.

Del Toro's rise began on the U23 scene in 2023 after Uijtdebroeks had already turned pro. He's 9 months younger than the Belgian and from a smaller country in cycling terms, so it's not exactly extraordinary that he wasn't yet at his best in 2022 and early '23. He's also been fortunate not to be hit by the same amount of bad luck as Uijtdebroeks has. That said, I do agree that UAE have generally surpassed Visma when it comes to rider development.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If somebody releases something untrue about you, then you don't need to apologise, but correcting the misconception would show a whole lot more integrity than weaponising and taking advantage of that misconception for personal gain.

I'm a bit fuzzy on the how it all went down, so i honestly don't recall if / how he weaponised whatever Zonneveld claimed. But again, if Bora knew all of this was BS, they should not have let that affect them. It would be up to Uijtdebroeks to prove it if he wanted to use that as leverage. It being a Dutch reporter and not a Belgian reporter or German, kind of tells me what direction i would be reverting my focus.

 

[theyoungest]

Del Toro's rise began on the U23 scene in 2023 after Uijtdebroeks had already turned pro. He's 9 months younger than the Belgian and from a smaller country in cycling terms, so it's not exactly extraordinary that he wasn't yet at his best in 2022 and early '23. He's also been fortunate not to be hit by the same amount of bad luck as Uijtdebroeks has. That said, I do agree that UAE have generally surpassed Visma when it comes to rider development.

UAE have way more money than Visma does, and they offer young riders way bigger salaries. That's also why they have managed to sign the bigger talents. I think most young riders Visma have signed wouldn't even be on UAE's radar, because they simply aren't good enough. That's nothing to do with rider development, just with talent.

Uijtdebroeks is obviously a different story, but he's mostly been injured or otherwise impeded from reaching his potential. That's a bit difficult to compare. I'd say another young talent Simon Yates is happy he signed with Visma and not UAE

 

[Samu Cuenca]

UAE have way more money than Visma does, and they offer young riders way bigger salaries. That's also why they have managed to sign the bigger talents. I think most young riders Visma have signed wouldn't even be on UAE's radar, because they simply aren't good enough. That's nothing to do with rider development, just with talent.

Uijtdebroeks is obviously a different story, but he's mostly been injured or otherwise impeded from reaching his potential. That's a bit difficult to compare. I'd say another young talent Simon Yates is happy he signed with Visma and not UAE

Sure, money matters, but they also had more than Visma a couple of years ago when they were still lacking behind.