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

[Netserk]

His ceiling is Czechia and Slovakia.

Can he win a WT stage race? No. Not even podium one.

Maybe his best performances are behind him, and he won't ever have the lvl to challenge for the podium in a GT.

Does his skillset offer anything outside of that? No, not as a leader. Only as a helper.

But his role in the team has been as a leader or at least a free role.

 

[Peyroteo94]

I don't like Plugge but he is absolutely right here. Cian is a bust without a doubt.

 

[LongtimeLurker]

Will do 2 years at Movistar and asme story. Kid and his family are a mess and difficult to work with.

 

[Cycling111]

He did this with Bora 2 years ago, too. He just wants to be the only leader at big races and doesn't accept other riders next to him.

At least he's been consistent and has found another team within a year.
Ayuso dragged out an unsustainable situation for too long.

 

[Berniece]

His ceiling is Czechia and Slovakia.

Can he win a WT stage race? No. Not even podium one.

Way too soon to say this. He was 20 when he finished top 10 in multiple large WT stage races?

 

[AlfaLum]

I think it is understandable that between Vingegaard, Jorgenson, Yates, van Aert and Brennan you do not have room to give Uijtdebroeks a leadership role in a GT. Allthough he could have been captains in other races.

I also think it is understandable that Cian wants a leadership role in a GT being the kind of talent that he is. And in a team like Movistar he might be able to top-5 in races like the Giro.

 

[Berniece]

Will do 2 years at Movistar and asme story. Kid and his family are a mess and difficult to work with.

In what way were they difficult to work with?

 

[Breh]

idk how you manage to completely ignore the Giro winner

 

[Peyroteo94]

I think it is understandable that between Vingegaard, Jorgenson, Yates, van Aert and Brennan you do not have room to give Uijtdebroeks a leadership role in a GT. Allthough he could have been captains in other races.

I also think it is understandable that Cian wants a leadership role in a GT being the kind of talent that he is. And in a team like Movistar he might be able to top-5 in races like the Giro.

What kind of talent he is? Ruben Fernandez won Tour de l'Avenir too. It is clearly he was close to his ceilling in juniors. Probably he has been training like a professional since a very young age.
He is just an early bloomer.

 

[Cycling111]

It's curious how this thread can criticize his character and even hus family, but saying in Ayuso's thread that he has a complicated character is considered disrespectful.

They are very similar situations. Ayuso's father has been her representative for years, and it's said to be a complicated environment and Ayuso has a complicate character as a teammate.

They are two similar cases, but it's clear that everything depends on the results.

 

[RedheadDane]

Will do 2 years at Movistar and asme story. Kid and his family are a mess and difficult to work with.

What's his family got to do with it?

 

[AlfaLum]

What kind of talent he is? Ruben Fernandez won Tour de l'Avenir too. It is clearly he was close to his ceilling in juniors. Probably he has been training like a professional since a very young age.
He is just an early bloomer.

Well even if his 2023 season was his absolute ceiling, which is something neither you nor I can predict with certainty he has been at a level where he has gotten top-10 spots in Catalunya, Romandië, Suisse and the Vuelta within a season.

Which is enough to be aiming for a captaincy role at this stage of his career.

 

[Jan the Man]

Surprising in the sense that I am not convinced Movistar are a team you go to maximise GC potential. But on other hand they have less chiefs and he will be given the free hand he wants.

Given Jumbos stacked roster I guess I am not too surprised from their end it he is demanding a level of support that they do not believe that his position in the team deservds , with several other GC riders and Brennan coming through to support in GTs.

However people are too quick to write others off. He clearly has the capacity to top 10 GTs having done so previously and is also still only 22. He is way too young to dismiss and hopefully he finds the space to carve out a nice career for himself.

 

[MLKarlos]

I don't understand this at all. Uijtdebroeks is leaving Visma and going to Movistar... Career is over.

Verrassing van formaat: Cian Uijtdebroeks verlaat Visma-Lease a Bike en zet carrière verder bij Movistar | sporza

Cian Uijtdebroeks verlaat Visma-Lease a Bike na twee seizoenen en gaat een avontuur aan bij Movistar. Die stunttransfer maakte het Spaanse team vrijdagochtend bekend. De 22-jarige Uijtdebroeks kwam deze zomer opnieuw boven water na een moeilijk seizoen.

sporza.be

I really like the move for both sides: Movistar gets a Young guy with still potential and Cian still has an environment which knows how to do GC

 

[Peyroteo94]

Well even if his 2023 season was his absolute ceiling, which is something neither you nor I can predict with certainty he has been at a level where he has gotten top-10 spots in Catalunya, Romandië, Suisse and the Vuelta within a season.

Which is enough to be aiming for a captaincy role at this stage of his career.

Is Bernal able to lead a team in a GT just because he got 7th in Giro?
It was his best result since his crash in 2022. In the last 2 years he also got top10 results in many major one week stage races and before his crash he was a multiple GT winner.

Yeah, I know you will say Cian is much younger but what did he really show in 2024 and 2025?
No, he didn't show anything to suggest he can lead a team in a GT.

 

[AlfaLum]

Is Bernal able to lead a team in a GT just because he got 7th in Giro?
It was his best result since his crash in 2022. In the last 2 years he also got top10 results in many major one week stage races and before his crash he was a multiple GT winner.

Yeah, I know you will say Cian is much younger but what did he really show in 2024 and 2025?
No, he didn't show anything to suggest he can lead a team in a GT.

Yes in certain teams Bernal can definitely lead a GT and I would definitely not blame him if he still has that ambition.

I would even say that currently he is still played out as a GT leader in one of the bigger teams in the world.

 

[Red Rick]

Visma is the only party in this deal that comes out ahead. They get rid of a rider that's a frequent headache and as good as he thinks he is.

Blobloblo at Movistar is a match made in hell.

 

[Netserk]

I think they don't want to give him a free role in ANY GT, and that that is the issue. Cian probably wants to go for a GC in a GT again next year. Doesn't have to be TDF, he isn't delusional.

Do you think he should have ridden the Giro or the Vuelta this year with a free role?

I don't think so. And I think it's so far from being the case that asking for it is delusional.

 

[Keldergoat]

I suspect the pages on this forum / wins ratio for this rider might reach even more unexplainable levels.

 

[Breh]

Unzue saw that belge flag and he instantly knew he had his new classics leader

 

[Peyroteo94]

Yes in certain teams Bernal can definitely lead a GT and I would definitely not blame him if he still has that ambition.

I would even say that currently he is still played out as a GT leader in one of the bigger teams in the world.

He can have that ambition but he no longer has the ability to get a top5, specially when he struggles a lot in the third week.
And please, Ineos is a joke right now, far from being one of the bigger teams in the world (UAE, Visma, RB, Lidl). Carlos disappeared as a GT rider, the gap to Remco is bigger than ever in TTs (Tarling and Ganna), they were close in MSR but normally they are irrelevant in monuments.
Ineos looks more and more Manchester United.

 

[Berniece]

Do you think he should have ridden the Giro or the Vuelta this year with a free role?

I don't think so. And I think it's so far from being the case that asking for it is delusional.

Not this year, no. Next year, it's a maybe, depending on his training results.

 

[Keldergoat]

I bet it comes down to the Tour. It's always about the Tour for some riders and Visma was not prepared to give him a free role in the Tour but rather only a domestique role for Vingegaard. That would also probably mean the same type of role in lead up races as well.

If you truly believe you have earned a free role in the Tour after *checking notes*, winning the Tour de l'Ain, you are beyond delusional.

I rather think that he wanted a free role in another GT, which is still a stretch, but in case too many of their GC guys would be injured, you could make a case for that.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I can't find the quote, but didn't someone at BORA say he was an overrated talent, or something to that effect?

 

[AlfaLum]

He can have that ambition but he no longer has the ability to get a top5, specially when he struggles a lot in the third week.
And please, Ineos is a joke right now, far from being one of the bigger teams in the world (UAE, Visma, RB, Lidl). Carlos disappeared as a GT rider, the gap to Remco is bigger than ever in TTs (Tarling and Ganna), they were close in MSR but normally they are irrelevant in monuments.
Ineos looks more and more Manchester United.

Ok so we have only four big teams and the rest sucks. And all riders outside of the four big teams should not have ambition to become GT leaders.

Well if that is your view I am not going to waste my time explaining why I think certain riders are allowed to have decent ambitions.