Who knows if in the end, having been in less of a hurry, Cjan Uijtdebroeks would have already reached the goals he dreamed of, remaining in what would later become the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Instead, in the autumn between 2023 and 2024, with a coup by lawyers and prosecutors that caused reactions of various annoyances in the group, The Belgian talent hailed as the new Evenepoel moved to Visma on a four-year contract until 2027Unfortunately, however, contracts are now a cross between waste paper and investment protection, so no one was surprised when Uijtdebroeks also terminated his contract with the Dutch team to become one of the leaders of the Movistar Team.
43 percent of the Spanish team was acquired by, Quantum Pacific Management, an investment fund led by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. So, as soon as they found the resources at home to focus on a top rider, Unzue's men moved first on the trail of Ayuso, which however preferred Lidl-TrekAnd at that point, given that all the best players were now locked away and still had to pay to break a contract, the Spanish turned to the Belgian. Uijtdebroeks felt cramped at Visma and chose to change shirts again.
Between Uijtdebroeks and Lipowitz
In 2023, Bora-Hansgrohe also welcomed an intern Florian Lipowitz, who trusted, grew and last July climbed onto the podium of the TourWhile Uijtdebroeks, who joined the team in the same year, is still wandering from one team to another. Perhaps the difference was made by the ability to trust the chosen technicians: the Belgian was either unable to do so or preferred to listen to other voices as well.
«Visma is an important team, with many victories in the Grand Tours – Cian declared to the Spanish Marca – but my goals were not in line with theirsI am convinced that the step I am taking is the right one. There are so many strong riders in Visma that the opportunities are minimalAnd in my last year, between injuries and problems, I fell behind very quickly. The vision that Alex Carera (his agent, ed.) and I had for my development was different from that of the team. I've already arrived among the top 10 at the Vuelta a Espana 2023, But I want more. That's where the difference in vision arose. Movistar offered me this opportunity from the first minute».
The Tour de l'Avenir at 19 years old
Movistar is confident it can find the terrible kid who showed up at the professional level with victory at the Tour de l'Avenir, obtained when he was already racing with Bora-Hansgrohe.
«I think I can do even better – underlined Uijtdebroeks – that level is still in my body and I want to surpass it. The first thing is to get to know the team well, but I know I'll get there. Right now, I might not be ready to win a Grand Tour, but maybe in the future it will be possible. I've been through incredibly difficult times. I went from finishing in the top 10 to retiring, and it was truly painful. The worst part was not knowing why, so when we discovered it all depended on the riding position and how it affected a muscle, I breathed a sigh of relief. We changed things and I'm back. But that emptiness was terrible, a brutal feeling of impotence."
Vingegaard's lesson
The boy is awake. He is 22 years old and has already changed teams three times., but he didn't leave without looking around and taking the most useful notes.
"At the Visma I learned a lot,” he explained to the Spanish newspaper. “I learned about my position on the bike and the related problems. But also about nutrition, the type of training best suited to me, and even how great leaders deal with bad days. Sharing a race with Vingegaard and seeing the calm with which he manages everything was a great lesson..
"I realized it would be best to leave at the end of this season, when we discussed next year's program. First we addressed my physical issues, then we delved into the sporting aspects. And they told me it would be difficult for me to ride a Grand Tour in 2026.. That was the turning point: our visions were no longer aligned."
A family environment
And so, after having outlined the need to gain in explosiveness and time trial, having admitted that he likes the Giro d'Italia because it's the first and he already likes the Vuelta because it's tough, Uijtdebroeks is about to discover the serenity of the Movistar. She will follow the opposite path of Jorgenson who left her for Visma, seeking a higher technical level. He is the same age as Pellizzari and Del Toro, but due to injuries and his choices, he still has to find his footing.
«At Bora and Visma I got to know different cultures – he said – now I discovered that I have I need a professional environment, yes, but also a human one, something that makes me feel at ease. In Pamplona, during the training camp, I already felt like part of a family. That's why I'm sure I made the right choice. Sebastián (Unzue, ed.) and I share the same vision. The plan is perfect."
