Despite his best efforts, Cian Ujitdebroeks had a season to forget in his new team colours. After a dramatic departure from BORA - hansgrohe last winter, he had hoped to quickly assert himself as one of the leaders in the top team Visma | Lease a Bike. But the whole was struck with poor luck in 2024 and the 21-year-old Uijtdebroeks was no exception as he was forced to abandon both Grand Tours this year.
"I've been in the gym more than on the bike the past few weeks. I've become a bodybuilder," Uijtdebroeks tells Sporza. The gym sessions are the result of a problem in his lower back, which caused Uijtdebroeks to suffer from a "paralyzing feeling in my legs" during the Vuelta, resulting in collapses in mountain stages.
"At first I thought it was a pinched femoral artery. Tests showed that I had a problem in my lower back, where many nerves run to my legs. That explained the numbing feeling," he explained. "I did a lot of strengthening exercises for my back and the region around my pelvis. The muscle-strengthening exercises and the new cycling position are paying off, because I can now complete interval training again without pain."
How does Uijtdebroeks view the coming season? "With a lot of motivation. We are busy with discussions about the approach and my program. More clarity about that will be available in the coming weeks. I will remain a GC rider and the stage races (and grand tours) will therefore remain the focus."
Is a Tour debut an option? "I'm personally not the biggest fan of doing the Tour now. They're going to have to convince me," laughs Uijtdebroeks, who is also waiting to see what the Giro route will look like. After a debut when it seemed like he could land in the final top-5, Uijtdebroeks was forced to abandon with illness half-way through. Yet this will only fuel his desire to return even stronger.