Tiesj Benoot about online critique becoming hard to deal with for young riders: "Someone like Cian Uijtdebroeks with physical problem has a harder time with it"
Cycling
Tiesj Benoot has plenty experience as a professional cyclist, and that also includes dealing with criticism. As a rider for one of the most prominent teams in the world, it's not always praise he reads online. But with age comes wisdom, as they say, and Benoot let online haters get under his skin anymore.
At the same time, however, he notices that younger riders are increasingly struggling with social media, as he tells Het Laatste Nieuws. "That the average Joe gives his opinion on everything and does it more crudely than he would ever dare to do face-to-face, is typical of this time. When I turned pro eleven years ago, Twitter was different. Not all the morons were on it yet, haha."
He himself says that it doesn't bother him much. "But recently there was another one of those dull and unpleasant ones... I won't mention his name, because he doesn't deserve it. When I shared a video of the team the day after Strade Bianche, in which Wout and I are training in Tenerife, he responded: 'There was a small race in Italy, but feel free to continue with your EPO treatment.'"
It was not his first interaction with this user. "When we wore time trial helmets during the reconnaissance of the Omloop, he also responded: 'Too bad about Tiesj Benoot's floppy ears. All that effort for nothing.' I replied: 'Should I have them taped to my head?' And then he replied: 'Tiesj, I think Pantanti once had surgery on his floppy ears, so you can do something about it. Aero is everything.'"
Benoot took a look at his Instagram account. "He was clearly very right-wing and he seemed sour to me. So I can certainly understand it, but I can imagine that someone like Cian Uijtdebroeks, who has a physical problem and has also openly said so, has a harder time with it as a young rider. Remco Evenepoel also had his difficulties with that and has grown into it over time."
He then also discusses Mou, the name behind the Twitter account that stood out by predicting a number of things about Pogacar. "I find it funny and he dares to make bold predictions. Last year he was spot on a few times in the run-up to the Tour, but I do have a problem with the anonymous aspect. It's too easy. If you're wrong, no one can blame you."
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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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