"We often talk about mental well-being, but that is forgotten here" - Tiesj Benoot demands end to Cian Uijtdebroeks furore
Cycling
Cian Uijtdebroeks is officially a Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider after weeks of controversy, confusion and speculation. His new teammate Tiesj Benoot, hopes this brings an end to the furore.
“I would especially like to appeal to the press to tackle him less,” said Benoot says in conversation with Sporza. “He is 20 years old and he has a lot to deal with. You don't want to read what a young rider has to deal with on social media. We often talk about mental well-being, but that is forgotten here. I hope it doesn't bother him too much.”
Whilst Uijtdebroeks undoubtedly has a bright future in the peloton, his acrimonious departure from BORA - hansgrohe has left a black cloud over his head in the eyes of many. Was he pushed out by bullying? Did he have a bad attitude? We may never know what exactly happened behind the scenes.
“As a young rider, he is with the best team to develop. He has received a warm welcome here,” concludes Benoot, looking to Uijtdebroeks' future potential. After an impressive Vuelta a Espana towards the end of 2023, the Belgian will make his Grand Tour debut for Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the Giro d'Italia next year.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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🗞️ TEAM NEWS BORA - hansgrohe, Cian Uijtdebroeks & Jumbo-Visma today concluded an agreement, approved by the UCI, whereby our current contract with Cian will terminate on 31/12/23. We wish Cian the best of luck in the next step in his career. More: brnw.ch/21wFwth
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