"The atmosphere here is more southern and warm": cian Uijtdebroeks enjoys a change of pace after leaving Visma
Cycling
Cian Uijtdebroeks is entering the final stretch of his recovery from the elbow fracture he suffered at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2026, an injury that abruptly halted his Movistar Team debut. The 23-year-old Belgian crashed on stage 3 and was forced to abandon, then focused on regaining sensations to return to racing as soon as possible.
His season start has therefore been conditioned by this setback. After leaving Visma | Lease a Bike to begin a new chapter with the Spanish squad, he had hoped for a more continuous run of racing. However, the incident in early February forced a rethink of his programme, also ruling him out of a key target such as Paris–Nice.
Uijtdebroeks himself outlined the recovery process to La Dernière Heure: "Especially during the first two weeks, I couldn’t do much. It wasn’t until about ten days later that I could get back on the turbo. I’ve already managed a few outdoor rides, which helps."
During that spell without normal training, he accepted that his condition would dip, though he believes his winter groundwork limited the damage: "It’s inevitable when you don’t ride for ten days. But I was lucky to have built a very solid base over the winter, so I didn’t lose much."
Sad to miss a team time trial
As mentioned, the injury also cost him Paris–Nice, a race circled in red on his schedule, in particular for its demanding parcours and the presence of a team time trial - a key factor of the 2026 Tour de France. Even so, the Belgian is keeping perspective and thinking about the long arc of the season.
"I was really keen to test myself on that route. It would have been a good dress rehearsal for the team time trial. The Tour de France starts with a similar stage in Barcelona. But it’s not a disaster; the season is still long and there’s also a team time trial at the Dauphiné."
Cian Uijtdebroeks is eager to return to racing with Movistar Team
Looking ahead to his Movistar return
If all goes to plan, he will return to competition at Milano-Torino in less than two weeks, before tackling one of his first major goals: the Volta a Catalunya. There he will face some of the biggest names in the peloton, such as Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard, and João Almeida, and it will also serve as preparation for the Ardennes.
Uijtdebroeks is clear about his main target in that phase of the season, where he will take on Tadej Pogacar. "I want to hit my best form for Liège–Bastogne–Liège. I also want to be strong at La Flèche Wallonne. My training plan is built around that."
Beyond performance, the Belgian also highlighted his smooth adaptation to Movistar Team after joining this winter. Compared to his previous team, he feels the environment is different and suits his personality.
"Unlike at Visma, the atmosphere here is more southern and warm. It’s a bit like Walloon hospitality. They take a holistic approach to performance, including mental well-being. I really appreciate that."
His integration has also been helped by relationships with teammates. "Lately I’ve spent a lot of time with Enric Mas at the physio and we’ve had plenty of conversations there. I also get along well with Spanish champion Iván Romeo, who lives near me. Luckily, my Spanish is improving."
As he nears full recovery, the young rider has even found a silver lining in the enforced break. "I can spend more time with my girlfriend. Last weekend, she baked a fantastic cake for my 23rd birthday," he concluded.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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