Nightmare scenario for Visma and Uijtdebroeks as old wound returns: "It’s a replay of what happened to me last year. That sucks"

Cian Uijtdebroeks endured a difficult day on Stage 6 of Tirreno-Adriatico, finishing 46th and well off the pace. It was a disheartening performance from a rider who has been touted as one of cycling’s most exciting young talents, and his post-race comments only deepened concerns about his condition.

"I had to deal with the symptoms of last year again," Uijtdebroeks said in an interview with Sporza. "My heart rate was 150, but I wasn’t making any progress, and I had that dull feeling in my legs again. It’s a replay of what happened to me last year. That sucks."

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His struggles on Stage 6 were eerily similar to the problems he faced throughout 2023, with the low point coming at the Vuelta a España, where he suffered from a numb feeling in his legs that prevented him from performing at his best.

After months of frustration, MRI scans revealed that the issue was linked to his back, leading to a full winter of rehabilitation. Uijtdebroeks was hopeful that the team’s targeted work on his back would finally resolve the issue.

In February, he sounded optimistic, telling WielerFlits that he had seen positive results in training. "The tests during training were certainly successful," he said. "We worked on the back all winter. I even went to the gym this afternoon, just to be sure. It should be fine."

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However, his troubling performance at Tirreno-Adriatico suggests that the issue has not been fully resolved. Despite all the efforts during the off-season, Uijtdebroeks once again found himself battling the same symptoms that derailed his progress last year.

This latest setback raises serious questions about his long-term trajectory. At just 22 years old, Uijtdebroeks is still in the early stages of his career, but persistent physical issues can be incredibly damaging both physically and mentally. His emotional reaction after the stage highlighted the frustration of dealing with a recurring problem that has no simple fix.

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For Visma | Lease a Bike, this will be a major concern. They invested heavily in Uijtdebroeks, seeing him as a potential future Grand Tour leader, but unless they can find a definitive solution to his back problems, his development risks being stalled.

As the season progresses, the team will need to reassess his training, race schedule, and recovery strategies. If his condition does not improve, it may even be necessary to take a step back from competition to fully address the issue.

Uijtdebroeks has already shown immense talent, but for now, his biggest challenge isn’t his rivals on the road, it’s his own body. Whether he can overcome this and fulfil his potential remains to be seen.

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