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

[Samamba]

There's about a 50% chance he'll be the best Belgian in the Tour.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Ngl, I might have forgotten about him

 

[Samamba]

Ngl, I might have forgotten about him

Chances of him finishing a GT is like 20% tho

I noticed on some forums and Twitter that a lot of people have already forgotten he exists tbh, saying Lotto only has De Lie (and Widar to a lesser extent), like Lennert didn't just win 2 Wt stage races in 2024 (sure it's the 2 weakest but still).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Are you claiming you think Uijtdebroeks has toxic positivity?

Cian has - either by virtue of the people who have his ear such as his agent or by dint of his own ego - developed quite the high self-worth, such that he's had a melty at not one but two teams for daring to not treat him as the belle of the ball. A lot of the time, people who demand that kind of special treatment attract dislike from large sections of the audience even when they justify their own hype - which to date, and partly through reasons outside of his control, Cian Uijtdebroeks has not. He might have had good reason for not performing in the last two seasons, but the idea that he was in the position to go to Visma of all teams towards the end of 2025 and demand Grand Tour leadership or bust, is laughably egotistical.

An audience of yes-man fans who will find excuses for your every failing (see the ends of the earth gone to to vilify Bora-Hansgrohe over the difference between 7th and 8th in the Vuelta) and go to war with any critics who dare suggest their princess isn't the prettiest... provides nothing more than a hugbox that reinforces that ego and lack of self-reflection. He's young enough to still be impressionable, but he's old enough that he doesn't need to be insulated from consequence for his own actions, and old enough to pick himself up again if his ego takes a bit of a dent. Having a chance to take on a GC without the ability to fire the excuse cannon and realise that, actually, maybe he isn't the second coming of Lucien van Impe, and actually take stock of where he is performance-wise and set goals and expectations of himself accordingly might be better for him in the long run.

Aren't you the avid Evenepoel backer?

No.

Why is believing in yourself such a bad thing suddenly?
He might not be as good as he thinks, but wouldn't it be better if he came to that realisation by riding without crashes and illness?

Netserk's post did not wish injury or illness on him. Just that his GC bid fails.

Which, again, if you don't think he's as good as he seemingly thinks he is, might actually be better for him in the long run than reinforcing his inflated self-opinion that has already seen him run himself off two teams - both stronger and with current better development pathways than his present one - by age 22.

 

[Berniece]

does it matter that he isnt 32

Because he’s a young kid

 

[Netserk]

Because he’s a young kid

no, he is not 14

he is old enough to be a corporal in the army, leading an infantry squad in a war

 

[Potomac]

Here's a list of all his wins.

Nr	Race	Class	Date	Category
2	Tour de l'Ain	2.1	2025-08-08	ME
1	Tour de l'Ain | Stage 3	2.1	2025-08-08	ME

He has 97 pages of comments on this forum.

If there is "false positivity" I don't blame him for it.

 

[Berniece]

no, he is not 14

he is old enough to be a corporal in the army, leading an infantry squad in a war

And in some countries you can work full time when you are 12…

When your brain hasn’t fully developed, you’re a kid

 

[Kazistuta]

Cian has - either by virtue of the people who have his ear such as his agent or by dint of his own ego - developed quite the high self-worth, such that he's had a melty at not one but two teams for daring to not treat him as the belle of the ball. A lot of the time, people who demand that kind of special treatment attract dislike from large sections of the audience even when they justify their own hype - which to date, and partly through reasons outside of his control, Cian Uijtdebroeks has not. He might have had good reason for not performing in the last two seasons, but the idea that he was in the position to go to Visma of all teams towards the end of 2025 and demand Grand Tour leadership or bust, is laughably egotistical.

An audience of yes-man fans who will find excuses for your every failing (see the ends of the earth gone to to vilify Bora-Hansgrohe over the difference between 7th and 8th in the Vuelta) and go to war with any critics who dare suggest their princess isn't the prettiest... provides nothing more than a hugbox that reinforces that ego and lack of self-reflection. He's young enough to still be impressionable, but he's old enough that he doesn't need to be insulated from consequence for his own actions, and old enough to pick himself up again if his ego takes a bit of a dent. Having a chance to take on a GC without the ability to fire the excuse cannon and realise that, actually, maybe he isn't the second coming of Lucien van Impe, and actually take stock of where he is performance-wise and set goals and expectations of himself accordingly might be better for him in the long run.

No.

Netserk's post did not wish injury or illness on him. Just that his GC bid fails.

Which, again, if you don't think he's as good as he seemingly thinks he is, might actually be better for him in the long run than reinforcing his inflated self-opinion that has already seen him run himself off two teams - both stronger and with current better development pathways than his present one - by age 22.

Sorry, misremembered . It was the user formerly known as Logic... that I mistook you for. Personally I think he has great climbing potential, but with no acceleration and still a mediocre time trial he'll have a hard time doing more than a top5 in a GC. Due to his misfortune I'd say there's still a lot of unchartered potential though, and I for one like that GC riders with ambitions spread out instead of joining the same team (Team SKY back in the day, now UAE and Red Bull mainly).

 

[AmRacer]

And in some countries you can work full time when you are 12…

When your brain hasn’t fully developed, you’re a kid

Do tell him his brain hasn't fully developed yet. 😁

 

[Unchained]

Cian has - either by virtue of the people who have his ear such as his agent or by dint of his own ego - developed quite the high self-worth, such that he's had a melty at not one but two teams for daring to not treat him as the belle of the ball. A lot of the time, people who demand that kind of special treatment attract dislike from large sections of the audience even when they justify their own hype - which to date, and partly through reasons outside of his control, Cian Uijtdebroeks has not. He might have had good reason for not performing in the last two seasons, but the idea that he was in the position to go to Visma of all teams towards the end of 2025 and demand Grand Tour leadership or bust, is laughably egotistical.

An audience of yes-man fans who will find excuses for your every failing (see the ends of the earth gone to to vilify Bora-Hansgrohe over the difference between 7th and 8th in the Vuelta) and go to war with any critics who dare suggest their princess isn't the prettiest... provides nothing more than a hugbox that reinforces that ego and lack of self-reflection. He's young enough to still be impressionable, but he's old enough that he doesn't need to be insulated from consequence for his own actions, and old enough to pick himself up again if his ego takes a bit of a dent. Having a chance to take on a GC without the ability to fire the excuse cannon and realise that, actually, maybe he isn't the second coming of Lucien van Impe, and actually take stock of where he is performance-wise and set goals and expectations of himself accordingly might be better for him in the long run.

No.

Netserk's post did not wish injury or illness on him. Just that his GC bid fails.

Which, again, if you don't think he's as good as he seemingly thinks he is, might actually be better for him in the long run than reinforcing his inflated self-opinion that has already seen him run himself off two teams - both stronger and with current better development pathways than his present one - by age 22.

I think your math is a bit complimentary.. Saying that Cian couldn't find his groove with 2 teams is correct, if expanded he has had @60 teammates, dozens of coaches, nutritionists, sponsors that just were not good enough and now he has done something even more difficult for most, going to switch to a team who primarily communicate in Spanish.
It's a subtle difference to some but communication and the ability to interact, interpret nuance is more difficult for most in something other than mother tongue. Guy is very very young, impatient and if at 22 he believes or is being told, convinced that he has given people and processes a chance he is being misinformed.
I have said it about the young man constantly, consistently,
who is advising this young talented rider?
He got advice and direction from @70-80 people from other 2_teams, hope someone tells him to ride his bike and things will fall into place. Cian is a great example of why the mental training in professional racing is as important as physical preparation.

 

[aphronesis]

Glad the Libertine/Remco advocacy was cleared up.

 

[saunaking]

His problem is he can't win anything. Ya he can be a good climber but zero punch. Is he even good enough to ride guys off his wheel in tour of the alps?

Small *** races it is, but really he is just gonna hang around and get top 10s in stage races with climbing. Boring AF.

I'm curious about his leadership at the tour. Are Sanchez and Romeo supposed to get him bottles when they could possibly get a stage win?

 

[Red Rick]

Absolving riders from the consequences of their own shitty behavior will never not annoy me.

The only reason this thread is almost 100 pages is because a small section of fans will defend anything because the rider in question is their poor baby.

Also, people are confusing toxic positivity with a guy having a superficially affable charm or chronic self overestimation.