"He helps me and he coaches me" - Cian Uijtdebroeks thriving under the wing of Jonas Vingegaard at Team Visma | Lease a Bike
Cycling
Cian Uijtdebroeks' controversial transfer from BORA - hansgrohe to Team Visma | Lease a Bike already seems to have been vindicated given the impressive early season form of the 21-year-old Belgian.
"I feel the fitness is very good. During the winter, I trained on explosiveness and on laying a broader base. O Gran Camino and the Tirreno-Adriatico had to serve to grind in the efforts over 30 minutes or an hour," reflects Uijtdebroeks of his early season in conversation with HLN. "If I recover well now, I hope to go to the Volta a Catalunya and the Giro d'Italia as a stronger rider."
Because of his impressive work in the opening months of the season, Uijtdebroeks has even drawn considerable praise from his team leader, Jonas Vingegaard with the Dane touting his younger teammate as a potential Grand Tour winner of the future. "It's nice that Jonas says this. I can tell you that the relationship between Jonas and me is really top notch," says a beaming Uijtdebroeks. "He helps me and he coaches me. It was nice that I was able to ride O Gran Camino and the Tirreno with him. I have seen how such a team tackles that to win the race. In Catalunya and the Giro, there will be a bit more responsibility for me."
Despite this, Uijtdebroeks stops a little short of claiming he can one day be as good as Vingegaard. "I can't say that right now. Although Jonas is 26, I'm 21; I still have some time," he concludes. "Where I am now is very good. And I have a team that can guide that well, because they have done the same with Roglic and Vingegaard. The dream is to become as good as Jonas one day. I keep dreaming."
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