"What is bullying? Jokes are just made among men" - Wilco Kelderman plays down Cian Uijtdebroeks bullying rumours

Wilco Kelderman and Cian Uijtdebroeks have both made the move from BORA - hansgrohe to Team Visma | Lease a Bike in recent seasons, although Uijtdebroeks' move caused a lot more controversy.

“I experienced him for one year, but never raced with Cian. I did go to training camp with him. Did he have too much knowledge? He's just so ambitious, he wants to figure everything out," recalls Kelderman of their time together at BORA. "I saw a very driven boy who wants to get to the top as quickly as possible. There's nothing wrong with that.”

In 2024 and onwards however, the pair will team up together at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. “At such a young age you have to work with a whole team. That is of course not easy, is it: communicating with men of thirty or forty years old who have been in cycling for twenty years. I'm not saying he came up with new ideas, he just wanted a structure to get the best out of himself,” says Kelderman.

“Basic things such as nutrition, training and rest are essential,” Kelderman continues. “It is true that such things were less at BORA-hansgrohe than at Jumbo-Visma. But you can also see that in the results. I think our team is ahead of most teams, not just BORA-hansgrohe. I think his transfer to Team Visma | Lease a Bike is therefore a good choice for Cian.”

Having experienced both environments however, Kelderman doesn't believe the bullying allegations around Uijtdebroeks' departure. “I think it's so magnified. What is bullying? Jokes are just made among men. You can understand: an eighteen-year-old boy may still be a bit insecure or sensitive. He then comes into contact with men of thirty or 35 who have been in the peloton for years. I don't necessarily think there was any real bullying. Although that's hard to say. I was sorry to read it.”