Cian Uijtdebroeks prepares to kick start season with more power at Tirreno-Adriatico: "I'll probably be a bit heavier than normal"
Cycling
Cian Uijtdebroeks, one of the most promising young riders in
the peloton at just 22 years old, is set to take on Tirreno-Adriatico, marking
his first major objective of the season. The Belgian has been steadily building
his form in recent weeks, fine tuning his condition as he looks to make an
impact in the Italian stage race.
Speaking to Wielerflits, Uijtdebroeks reflected on his
preparation and confidence heading into the race.
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"I was able to ride there steadily for a week and I
also had no complaints with my back for a week. I also knew that I could still
improve in terms of condition, but I have trained hard for that in recent weeks
with an eye on Tirreno-Adriatico, my first main goal of the season."
Tirreno-Adriatico presents a unique course this year, one
that may not perfectly suit his climbing strengths but still offers an
important challenge.
"There are one or two mountain stages, but it is not
extreme. It is not the ideal course for me. I will find that later in Romandie
and Switzerland," he explains. "But Tirreno-Adriatico is certainly a
race that I have set my sights on in terms of a classification."
As he continues his development, Uijtdebroeks has been
working on improving his all-around ability, knowing that versatility is key to
thriving in Grand Tours.
"It's definitely a challenge. I've also trained
differently, because ultimately you have to be able to handle all those kinds
of courses in the future to be able to shine in the big tours," he says
with a laugh. "I've trained a bit more on explosiveness, more strength
training, so I'll probably be a bit heavier than normal."
In Ardèche, he felt the effects of his heavy training load,
while in Drôme, a crash before the first long climb put him out of contention.
"In the Ardèche Classic, I felt the fatigue of the last
training block in the final phase. I didn't have any real punch there
anymore," he reflected. "In the Drôme Classic, I was held up by a
crash just before the first long climb, which put me far behind. I did get back
into the peloton, but then they started attacking at full speed. From that
moment on, it was all over."
Despite these setbacks, Uijtdebroeks remains positive about
his form and believes he is on track for Tirreno-Adriatico after the hard
training he has put in.
"I rode to get back into the peloton after that crash.
The form is certainly there, but the body was a bit tired. That is normal after
a long block, but I got the stimulus we wanted. With rest I want to get those
last percentages for Tirreno."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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