"He’s spent four years banging his head against the wall" – Cian Uijtdebroeks' cycling obsession is doing more harm than good, claims Jose de Cauwer

José De Cauwer has delivered one of the most striking assessments yet of Cian Uijtdebroeks’ surprise move to Movistar, warning that the young Belgian’s intense, near-total fixation on cycling is becoming counterproductive.

Speaking on De Grote Plaat, the former national coach said the 21-year-old’s career now sits at a crossroads — and that the change of environment might finally force some overdue self-reflection.

De Cauwer did not hold back. “He’s spent four years banging his head against the wall,” he said, arguing that the switch “could be exactly the right moment” for Uijtdebroeks to realise that his current path isn’t working.

But the bigger issue, he insists, lies deeper than team choice.

In the most eye-catching part of the conversation, De Cauwer criticised the intensity with which Uijtdebroeks lives the sport.

“The way he approaches cycling — it goes too far. I thought I was obsessed with cycling, but he’s ten times worse.”

According to De Cauwer, that level of total immersion risks holding him back more than helping him — especially after years of frustration at his previous team. A reset, he argued, is now overdue.

The choice of Movistar raised eyebrows across the peloton, and De Cauwer admitted it is “not a standard transfer”. He stressed that freedom is something the team does offer — but improvement is far from assured. “At that team, I’ve seen very few riders actually improve.”

Still, he believes the move fits the broader pattern of Uijtdebroeks’ career. After repeated internal battles and stalled development, a fresh start could finally break the cycle of “banging his head against the wall”.

De Cauwer also urged caution regarding Uijtdebroeks’ Grand Tour ambitions, suggesting the Belgian needs to rebuild the fundamentals of winning before shouldering GC expectations.

“Let him start at the start. Lots of young riders are hungry for the big races, but you have to try winning races first. The positive thing is that he’ll get the chance at Movistar to do his own thing.”

Whether the move marks the beginning of a long-awaited breakthrough — or another chapter of frustration — now depends, in De Cauwer’s eyes, on whether Uijtdebroeks can finally ease the obsessive pressure he places on himself.