"He was a true professional in his heyday" - Cian Uijtdebroeks names Chris Froome as great inspiration ahead of Grand Tour debut

As Cian Uijtdebroeks prepares for his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a Espana, the burgeoning 20-year-old Belgian has revealed the rider he looked up to as he makes his way in the peloton.

The winner of the 2022 Tour de l'Avenir names Chris Froome as his source of inspiration. "He was a true professional in his heyday," Uijtdebroeks tells In de Leiderstrui in a pre-Vuelta a Espana interview. "And of course a great rider. I was always a fan of classification riders and then you soon end up with a class like that."

As mentioned the promising Belgian is set to take on a Grand Tour for the first time in his career at the Vuelta a Espana. "Everything is still new, of course. So we'll just have to see how it all goes. But it is clear that as a team we are aiming for good results in the general classification," he says of his goals. "It's hard to say that now, because a lot can happen in three weeks. I just hope that everything goes well and that we do as well as in one-week races."

"Such a team presentation is quite overwhelming. But everything I experience here in Spain feels fantastic. It's already a great experience. I can't wait to get started," concludes the 20-year-old of BORA - hansgrohe. "I really couldn't be in a better team. The boys have a lot of experience in the Grand Tour, I have zero. Moreover, they have already shown great things. All of that really takes the stress out of me."