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

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Age of entry at WT matters just as much as age of achievement, if not more. Riders break through at a much younger age, so being "only 22" doesn't matter that much anymore, especially if he's fundamentally not even a better rider than 2 years ago.

Hindley meanwhile showed a higher level of climbing in his 3rd GT and 3rd WT season than Uijtdebroeks ever has.

Wow, ever, in the many many seasons of his long long career you mean? Of which he was able to ride a full 1 season without physical issues. That is indeed amazing.

Stage results are irrelevant to list. Only three riders made the podium of the Tour this year: Pogi, Vingegaard and Lipowitz. Campenaerts did not.

I have no idea what the Campenaerts reference is about. He has won WT races regardless of not being a GC rider. Do you not consider winning a stage in a WT stage race as a WT win? Or what exactly where you talking about? Nevertheless, he already finished 6th in a WT GC two years ago. You must be banking hard on him never improving ever again.

 

[Lequack]

He should go to Lidl to help Ayuso.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

At this point why would anyone sign this guy to a 4 year contract, anyway?

To pocket the buyout when he inevitably cut and runs?

 

[Cycling111]

I'm going to give him some leeway. I don't want to remember what was said about De Lie a year ago, and now he seems to have resurrected himself and is once again the new Boonen.

Now it's Van Gils and Van Eetvelt who have fallen from grace.

Let's give him some leeway. I don't think he'll be the top rider they expected, but he could still be a good rider who can place well in GT.

Nys went from being the favorite against Pogacar in FW to disappearing, that's what happens with excessive expectations. We have to forget about extremes.

 

[proffate]

To pocket the buyout when he inevitably cut and runs?

To attract a buyout, one must have decent results. Who believes that will happen? Also the buyout is proportional to the contract. You think movistar is paying him megabucks? Seems more likely he's taking a pay cut to chase his dreams. Which is admirable, in a sense, I suppose.

Maybe there are some serious performance based bonuses baked in, so that on the off chance he takes a step up, he becomes buyout bait and the buyout is also worth more.

 

[Hugh Januss]

He is literally moving because he has higher ambitions next season than Visma had for him. How is that not having high ambitions. He wants to go for GC in a GT. What more ambition can you have?

Does he want to "go for" GC or does he want to win GC? I would think sticking with the team with a proven track record of winning and putting in the work to maybe actually get to that level is more ambitious than going off to a clown show like Movistar. Unless you don't truly believe you are capable of reaching that level in which case be that big fish!

 

[Netserk]

Do you not consider winning a stage in a WT stage race as a WT win? Or what exactly where you talking about?

I didn't mention WT wins (nor WT podiums). And winning a stage of a stage race is not the same as winning the race. Only the overall is the victory of the race.

Likewise to podium a race. A stage is not enough.

His career highlight will be a boring 5th place in either the Giro or the Vuelta. He will never podium any WT races.

 

[Berniece]

Does he want to "go for" GC or does he want to win GC? I would think sticking with the team with a proven track record of winning and putting in the work to maybe actually get to that level is more ambitious than going off to a clown show like Movistar. Unless you don't truly believe you are capable of reaching that level in which case be that big fish!

You also need to be given that opportunity, and Visma wasn't planning on giving him that. At least not in GT's. Which means he would need to do a whole season of proving himself when he just want to go for it. Not to mention if Visma actually thought he had it in him, they would keep him.

 

[Red Rick]

To attract a buyout, one must have decent results. Who believes that will happen? Also the buyout is proportional to the contract. You think movistar is paying him megabucks? Seems more likely he's taking a pay cut to chase his dreams. Which is admirable, in a sense, I suppose.

Maybe there are some serious performance based bonuses baked in, so that on the off chance he takes a step up, he becomes buyout bait and the buyout is also worth more.

Movistar would be much more likely to pay big money for a 2nd GC leader beside Mas, especially when it comes to scoring WT points, than Visma would for a talented but still only like 5th priority stage racer.

If anything, it seems more likely this transfer would happen as a result of Uijtdebroeks just having his agent put feelers out and then Movistar coming with an offer way too good to refuse.

 

[Red Rick]

You also need to be given that opportunity, and Visma wasn't planning on giving him that. At least not in GT's. Which means he would need to do a whole season of proving himself when he just want to go for it. Not to mention if Visma actually thought he had it in him, they would keep him.

The team that let Primoz Roglic go when he wanted to leave would force Uijtdebroeks to stay against his wishes?

 

[Berniece]

The team that let Primoz Roglic go when he wanted to leave would force Uijtdebroeks to stay against his wishes?

I'm saying that if Visma actually thought Uijtdebroeks had a GT podium performance in him. They would give in to his demands of letting him go for GC's in a GT. Visma doesn't believe in him, so have no problem with letting him go.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm saying that if Visma actually thought Uijtdebroeks had a GT podium performance in him. They would give in to his demands of letting him go for GC's in a GT. Visma doesn't believe in him, so have no problem with letting him go.

Where is it explicitly stated that they don't believe that? It's not stated at all he wouldn't be able to get a free role at a GT at all. In fact, they invested heavily into Uijtdebroeks for the past 2 seasons.

All we have to go off is diverging ambitions, which really implies only that Movistar are willing to give Uijtdebroeks more than Visma think he's worth.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Does he want to "go for" GC or does he want to win GC? I would think sticking with the team with a proven track record of winning and putting in the work to maybe actually get to that level is more ambitious than going off to a clown show like Movistar. Unless you don't truly believe you are capable of reaching that level in which case be that big fish!

He doesn't come from a cycling background, and i fear he or his parents are a bit too oblivious to how cycling careers unfold. He is being managed by a football manager, and his "transfers" are very football-esque in a way. In football you see young players move to teams sometimes for half a season, put a step back to get more opportunities, put themselves in the spotlights there and force a transfer to a bigger team, sometimes even the same team you left two years ago. Him being at Bora since his junior years, then forcing a break towards Visma before being considered A-team, then suffering with injuries and leaving before the contract is up again, to a lesser team, again before showing his full potential... it seems very random unless you start looking at it from a football perspective.

Dries Mertens was written off by farcical Belgian teams like Ghent and Anderlecht for not being good enough, and he ended up playing for Napoli. De Bruyne was deemed not good enough by Mourinho-The-Blind at Chelsea, he was shipped off to Bremen where he was hijacked by City where he dominated Chelsea for the next decade. Stuff like that is quite common in football. I get the feeling he/they think that's how cycling works as well. But it doesn't.

 

[Berniece]

All we have to go off is diverging ambitions, which really implies only that Movistar are willing to give Uijtdebroeks more than Visma think he's worth.

Huh? That's not how I read it at all, or most people in this topic. It's not a money thing. His manager said:

We met with Visma management a few weeks ago. Cian hinted that he wants to play a more important role in Grand Tours in the future. But you know: Visma won two Grand Tours this season.

But younger talents like Cian naturally also want to seize their opportunities. He wants to try, to figure out where his level lies. After an analysis with Richard Plugge, the conclusion was that they want to give Cian that opportunity with another team.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

You also need to be given that opportunity, and Visma wasn't planning on giving him that. At least not in GT's. Which means he would need to do a whole season of proving himself when he just want to go for it. Not to mention if Visma actually thought he had it in him, they would keep him.

It's almost like going to a team where he'd be fifth priority at most after crying and screaming about abuse because his fe-fes were hurt by not being #1 priority at Bora was a bad idea that anybody could have seen coming.

 

[Red Rick]

Huh? That's not how I read it at all, or most people in this topic. It's not a money thing. His manager said:

"More than he's worth" also as in more leadership than he's earned at Visma.

The two go hand in hand. Getting team leadership will never come with getting less money. In fact, it would be way more stupid to go to Movistar if you're taking a paycut to do it.

And for Visma it also gets much easier to let a rider go if they're getting a pay out for it.

And generally, no rider is gonna admit he's moving teams for the money. That's just PR 101. It makes no sense to ignore the fact that PR statements are just that.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Is he prepared to help enric mas win the 2026 vuelta????

 

[Unchained]

This guy is super talented and if he has the right guidance he will achieve greatness

I'm saying that if Visma actually thought Uijtdebroeks had a GT podium performance in him. They would give in to his demands of letting him go for GC's in a GT. Visma doesn't believe in him, so have no problem with letting him go.

you are 100000% right..... you need a program that believes in you..
Wouldn't hurt to be in a constant state of brownnose asking Wout, Vingegaard, Victor, Jorgonsen, what am I am missing, what do I need.. What don't I see?.

.This kid can make it despite himself..

Sure not shortest distance but he is 22, he can still make it.. Get on the phone to Valverde..save me.. Need help.. I am sinking. That balding brilliant racer can take him on as a project and propel him to the top.. Ask Valverde to steer him around the rocks and choppy currents.. He knows it.
He needs individual, intensive instruction..

 

[Rob5091]

He needs individual, intensive instruction..

Maybe he actually believes he can win "clean"??

 

[LongtimeLurker]

What's his family got to do with it?

If behind the scenes they are making decisions and influencing an enviroment it has alot to do with it

 

[KoopaCycling]

I don't totally agree with completely different paths and I am not trashing Movistar, but for a struggling rider like Cian he needs the best resources, he maybe needs a friend, some good advice.. which he might get amongst a majority Spanish speaking bunch with a much lower budget.
He still has potential but constantly rebuilding his relationships has to be absolutely draining. I don't even like talking to 3,4 new people at a BBQ or party. Who likes switching cities and employers every couple of years?
I don't know anyone..
Who is telling a 22 year old that breaking contracts, moving all over will create stability? Crazy to me.
If anyone starts sniffing around Del Toro parties telling him there's a better deal, greener grass over there, probably tossed from the party, minimum tossed in the pool.

Only true to a certain extent. They all train near the same areas. No doubt they have come into contact before.
Unlike others i don't see movistar as a bad choice for GT riders. They live for stage races, not one day races. Mas is a proven GT rider as well. They may not have the same resources. But all of their resources go into stage racing. Nor does Cian need a train. He's an underdog. Nobody be looking at him and his team to close down gaps on other favourites.
And that is assuming Cian will ever come good enough again to be in that position. (Top 5 GT). Big question mark that.

 

[LongtimeLurker]

I feel sorry for the bloke, because he looked promising stepping into the WT. But there was something off at Bora, and then all the mischief at Visma - alongside pretty much every team member in '24 - has not done him any good. Did you forget how poor Visma was last year ? Everyone was sick. La Porte is still sick. I don't know what happened on that team but something is not right.

But Moviestar is a poor choice IMO, the team is off the rails and has been since ...like forever.

He performed his best to date at Bora, how was it off? Since leaving he has been a shell of what he achieved in 2022.

 

[scribers]

Weirdest transfer ever. I shouldn’t care but it’s full of all sorts of implications. He’s either truly unlikable as suggested with bora or visma is losing it’s ascending grip

 

[AlfaLum]

Poor performance from him. Visma must be right to let him go.

 

[Unchained]

Weirdest transfer ever. I shouldn’t care but it’s full of all sorts of implications. He’s either truly unlikable as suggested with bora or visma is losing it’s ascending grip

This is my opinion also, people are posting that his transfer was to solve a problem he didn't have. If he was riding so well that team decisions needed to be made..should we pick Cian for this race instead of Vingegaard or Jorgenson..okay I could see that.
But he has been a non factor for a couple of years. It's almost a make believe, made up story that his talent and ambitions are being held back at Visma.
He couldn't get along with all the meanies at Bora, now Visma are not stroking his ego enough, they are paying too much attention to others..
now he is headed for a team who has almost traditionally underperformed in my opinion.
someone posted that everyone ( pro teams) all live and train in the same place, so Cian breaking another contract, breaking relations with another team, breaking up with another set of teammates is fundamentally just a different kit and bicycle brand strikes me as bizarre.
How can changing your employer 3 times before you are 23 be seen as normal. This guy must turn into a werewolf or something during a full moon, or sleep with big hair curlers in at night or something really crazy. Maybe he likes weird music on team bus or blows up the bathroom..
Has to be something why he couldn't get along with 70-80 people at 2 professional cycling teams..