Movistar confirm Uijtdebroeks' new schedule confirmed after Tour de France abandon - He will join Mas at the Vuelta a Espana
CyclingMonday, 13 July 2026 at 11:00
The withdrawal of Cian Uijtdebroeks in the opening week of the Tour de France was a heavy blow for Movistar Team. The Belgian was the squad’s main card for the general classification, but physical issues forced a premature exit.
Now, sports director José Joaquín Rojas has confirmed the next step in the young rider’s schedule: he will return directly at the Vuelta a España alongside Iván Romeo and Enric Mas.
Speaking to AS, the Spanish native explained that concerns over Uijtdebroeks’ condition began with the team time trial in Barcelona, where the Belgian’s performance was well below expectations.
Rojas admitted the early signs were not encouraging and the team quickly sensed something was off. “We didn’t get the start we wanted because we already noticed in the Barcelona TTT that Cian wasn’t right. He was the first who didn’t want to step off, but we could already see how things were trending.”
The Movistar director recalled that the Belgian began to suffer a series of health problems that ultimately made it impossible to continue: “What happened on day one wasn’t normal, for him to be dropped, because he has the capacity to be there in a TTT. Then came fever, stomach pain, vomiting… the first priority was the rider’s health.”
Arriving fresh at the Vuelta the big goal
With his Tour ruled out, the team has set a recovery plan. Rojas confirmed that Uijtdebroeks will rest for a few days before starting an altitude camp with several teammates.
The aim is to bring him to the Vuelta a España in the best possible shape, where he will share leadership duties with Enric Mas: “Now he’ll switch off for a few days, then he’ll do an altitude camp with teammates and go straight to La Vuelta.”
The Spanish Grand Tour will be a key opportunity for both the rider and the team, who hope to recover one of their marquee signings for the GC fight.
Cian Uijtdebroeks, suffering at the Tour de France
Movistar reset their Tour objective
Riders such as Iván García Pierna and Pablo Castrillo have already gone on the offensive in breakaways, although the win remains out of reach for now.
Rojas acknowledges that will be the priority for the remainder of the Grande Boucle: “Now we’re only thinking about winning a stage at the Tour, which is the main objective.”
The Murcian also confirmed he will rejoin the team’s coaching staff during the Vuelta a España, working alongside Eusebio Unzué and José Luis Jaimerena “Chente” García Acosta.
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Besides Enric Mas and Cian Uijtdebroeks, Movistar expect to field other key names such as Iván Romeo, while those not selected for the Spanish race will follow an alternative schedule featuring events in Italy and Canada.
“There’s also a nice alternative calendar, with Italy and Canada among other places, for those not at La Vuelta, so we need two strong squads,” Rojas concluded.
With the Tour’s GC already off the table, all eyes within Movistar Team turn to the Vuelta a España, where the team hopes to return to the sharp end with a recovered Cian Uijtdebroeks and Enric Mas once again as the reference for the Spanish outfit.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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