"We know how good he is and how we can get him as high as possible in the GC" - Visma optimistic about Cian Uijtdebroeks' opening to Giro d'Italia 2024

In his first Grand Tour for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Cian Uijtdebroeks has started strongly at the 2024 Giro d'Italia. After four stages, the Belgian is wearing the white jersey for best young rider and sits fourth in the general classification.

"He is the youngest Belgian in the Giro since 1974. We have to keep both feet on the ground. Cian understands that very well. He is very sensible," says Team Visma | Lease a Bike boss Richard Plugge about his talented prospect in conversation with HLN. "We can get all sorts of things into our heads, but first let's see what it's like here to ride a Grand Tour very well with such a young guy."

After his controversial and protracted transfer from BORA - hansgrohe to Team Visma | Lease a Bike over the recent off-season, Plugge has been impressed by how the 21-year-old has settled in his new surroundings. "He fits in seamlessly with us. He is a guy who is super happy with what we offer him. We are working on all the details, which he really likes and was looking for," Plugge explains. "He is an incredibly nice boy, but still very young. We have to help him a lot, he still has a lot to learn."

"Of course we have a plan. We know how good he is and how we can get him as high as possible in the GC. That's what we're going to do everything we can and we've talked to him a lot about that," Plugge concludes, proposing how an improvement on his 8th at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana will mark a success. "That's very realistic. That's why Cian is a sensible guy. A Grand Tour is really a separate business. You have to grow into that slowly and put in a lot of hours. To discover what it's like to perform for three weeks, that takes a few years. Last year he finished eighth in the Vuelta. Now let's see if he can come close. Top ten would be fantastic. Anything better than eighth is icing on the cake."