"First jersey in a Grand Tour is always something special!" - Cian Uijtdebroeks Best Young Rider after brutal stage 2 at Giro d'Italia 2024

Team Visma | Lease a Bike's big GC hope for the 2024 Giro d'Italia, Cian Uijtdebroeks has made a bright start. After two stages, the Belgian sits 4th in the general classification and has moved into the white jersey for best young rider.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, best on the day though, was Tadej Pogacar who powered to a stage win and into the Maglia Rosa despite crashing at the bottom of the final climb. "I've heard already from him that he is fine," Uijtdebroeks updates in his post-stage interview. "He was back very quickly and then UAE Team Emirates were really, really strong today."

Once Pogacar attacked, Ben O'Connor and Geraint Thomas initially tried to follow the Slovenian. Uijtdebroeks however, had a different plan in mind. "Decided to go a little more conservative. I just knew, he is so explosive and I am the opposite so I didn't panic and did my own pace, which in the end was ideal," he explains.

"When Thomas went I was able to pull it back well. I know I'm not the most explosive, but we saved it pretty well and I'm so happy that I'm in white," concludes Uijtdebroeks who, as mentioned now sits 4th overall, 54 seconds down on Pogacar but just 9 behind Thomas and Daniel Martinez. "First jersey in a Grand Tour is always something special!"