BORA - hansgrohe's 19-year-old, star of the future Cian Uijtdebroeks is looking to build on an impressive first season at professional level. His main target for 2023? A debut Grand Tour, "if Catalonia and Dauphiné go well, I'll do the Vuelta."
With the highlight of his 2022 season being victory at the Tour de l'Avenir, Uijtdebroeks announced himself as one to watch for the future. Now with a year at professional level in his legs, the young Belgian is hoping to take the next step in his development. “I've already learned a lot, but I still have to learn how to use my teammates well. At first I was trying to fight alone for the placement, but it's impossible . You have to be in a good position, but your teammates can't take you by the hand and say: 'Come on Cian! Follow me now. Let's go a little to the left' You have to follow them and learn to do it in the best possible way “.
Among his list of targeted races for the 2023 season will be a return to the Tour of the Alps and the Tour of Catalonia. "What we want to change is to add Week-long tours at WorldTour level," he admits. "Like the Tour of Catalonia or perhaps the Dauphiné. And see if it is already possible to fight for the general. And then there is the question of whether or not we will do a Grand Tour at the end of the season. If I do well in week-long WorldTour races , why not do one. And if I go , it will be the Vuelta. I won't do the Tour de France… Certainly not with this year's route. And not the Giro!"