His preparation: “Mentally, I am reassured”
After interesting performances at O Gran Camino then on Tirreno-Adriatico, in the shadow of Jonas Vingegaard, Cian Uijtdebroeks did not finish the Tour of Catalonia. His retirement in the seventh and final stage was the conclusion of a week that did not live up to expectations, as the Spanish race was his first major objective of the year. “The week before the Tour of Catalonia, I was a little ill, he explains in the Nieuwsblad. At first I thought it was hay fever but as the days went on I realized how difficult it was to recover. And during the last stage, I was hypothermic and I gave up so as not to exhaust myself further.”
Nothing to worry him too much. “I easily digested this setback. Obviously I would have liked to ride at a different level but that wasn't the case. And not because of a lack of fitness or talent.” In terms of confidence, he arrives at the Giro quite calm. “Mentally, I reassure myself by telling myself that I had good feelings in Tirreno-Adriatico even though I was not 100%. And the data we have collected over the last few months from my training has been very valuable.”
The second course at altitude, in Tenerife, carried out by the runner from Hannut, also served to punctuate his preparation. With Gesink, Valter and Bouwman, he prepared for the Giro by accumulating the altitude difference. Then he went to Denia, on the Costa Blanca, to continue logging the kilometers, before returning for several days to Belgium. “It was important for me to get home before starting a three-week cycle.”
His battle plan: “We will have to save ourselves until the difficult last week”
Uijtdebroeks is not one to leave things to chance. He knows the Giro roadbook by heart and has analyzed each stage. The Italian race no longer holds any secrets for him. “It starts off pretty slowly.he says. The first week and a half will mostly be about tracking. The first day is obviously delicate, with an explosive finale where we can lose time. But that’s not where the Giro will be won. During the first two weeks, it will be important to stay focused. There are certainly some beautiful mountain stages but above all I will try to save as much as possible.”
Because it is the third week that the Belgian has especially ticked off. “At the Giro, it’s often at the end that things are decided. Stages 15, 16 and 17 are where you will need to be in top form. This triptych will be very difficult and that is when I will have to be able to give the best of myself. This is why I want to arrive at this money-time with as much freshness as possible. And if that’s the case, a lot of things are possible…”
The times: “One or two more years to find the ideal configuration”
Even if everyone expects Tadej Pogacar to be untouchable for the pink jersey, the two time trials planned in the course could be decisive for the places of honor. The first time trial, of 40.6 km, will take place during the seventh stage, between Foligno and Perugia. The second will take place during the second week, on a 31.2 km route between Castiglione delle Stiviere and Desenzano del Garda. Cian Uijtdebroeks is well aware of this: he will have to be present at these two meetings to hope to finish in a good final position. A lot of upstream work has been done in this direction.
”I spent many hours on my time trial bike, he explains. Oalso worked on my flexibility and agility. This is new for me: I have to get my body used to this specific time trial position. I think I've taken a step forward in this area, but it's hard to say if it will save me one or 20 seconds. In any case, I feel much better than before in this exercise.”
Since joining Visma | Lease a Bike, Uijtdebroeks only took part in one time trial. Results: a disappointing 109th place on Tirreno-Adriatico. “It was a short time trial and in the rainhe tempers. So that didn't really help us in terms of data. One thing is certain: there is no point in panicking and making last minute changes because the body needs time to get used to the new position. I will simply try to prepare as best as possible for the two times of the Tour of Italy with the data we currently have. But within the team, we give ourselves one or two years to find the ideal configuration for me.”
Van Aert's absence: “Maybe it adds a little pressure to me”
At the start of the season, Wout van Aert was scheduled for the Giro. But his injury changed plans…and perceptions. From now on, attention is focused on the leaders Olav Kooij (for the sprints) and Cian Uijtdebroeks (for the general) on the Visma side | Lease a Bike. “It's a big difference for the team that Wout is not present, estimates the 21-year-old Belgian. LThe basic plan was to win as many stages as possible, on the punchy stages and on the times. The fact that he is not there is a big blow for the team and for Olav, who cannot count on Wout in the sprints. And for me, that also has an impact. Few riders can bring you back to the front of the peloton so easily on a difficult stage. In the absence of Wout, there will perhaps be a little more pressure on the shoulders, seen from the outside. But within the team, we manage things quietly.”
His ambition: “I would already be satisfied with a top 10”
With or without van Aert, Uijtdebroeks' goal has not changed. “The idea is to achieve a good general ranking. I don't aim for stages, unless the possibility presents itself to me”, explains the one who has not yet raised his arms among the pros. “The last time was at the Tour de l’Avenir but that doesn’t bother me: I prefer a good final ranking rather than a stage victory.”
If he had mentioned a top 5 last winter, his first months in his new team have tempered his ardor a littles. “I think there is no harm in talking about top 10. I can be satisfied with that. With such a position, I would already be very satisfied. But if I manage to reach the top 5, that would obviously be great.”
I prefer a good general classification than a stage victory.
Competition: “Pogacar is the strongest in the world”
If he had faced Jonas Vingegaard during the Tour of Spain last year, while he was still riding under the colors of Bora-Hansgrohe, Cian Uijtdebroeks will, this time, rub shoulders with a certain Tadej Pogacar, in Italy. He already faced him a few weeks ago during the Tour of Catalonia and the Slovenian made a strong impression on him. “I remember him barely breathing when everyone was packed. And at one point he decided to go and we didn't see him againsmiles the Belgian. It is really very impressive. Currently, he is the strongest runner in the world. I see him winning the Giro because the route suits him well. He can win a lot of stages there. Right now he’s in the best moment of his career and he’s five steps ahead of the rest of the field.”
And behind? On paper, the competition seems less tough than in the 2023 Vuelta. “After Pogacar, a lot of us have the same level. If Geraint Thomas has his legs from last year's Giro (Editor’s note: 2nd behind Roglic), it is also out of reach. I am also wary of Thymen Arensman. The fight for the top 5 will be very fierce. Let's imagine that Pogacar knocks out the race from the first stages: everyone will want to fight for the places of honor. And things could get difficult.” And exciting…
