Uijtdebroeks is the best ranked Belgian rider in the Vuelta: "I don't feel pressure after Evenepoel dropped in the classification"

Cian Uijtdebroeks can rightfully be called the revelation of the Vuelta a España. The 20-year-old classification star from BORA-hansgrohe currently holds a respectable ninth place in the general classification after two weeks of racing in the Spanish stage race. On the second rest day of the three-week race, an online press event with Uijtdebroeks took place, and IDLProCycling was also present!

This website had the honor of being the first to ask a question to the amiable youngster, who, after the withdrawal of Remco Evenepoel, is the highest-ranked Belgian in the battle for the red jersey. When we asked him if, due to the prevailing cycling frenzy in Belgium, he feels more pressure as the "best-placed Belgian" than before, Uijtdebroeks answered in the negative. "Not really, actually. It's only my first Grand Tour, so if something goes wrong, that's just how it is. Sometimes things have already gone wrong," he says, speaking honestly.

Uijtdebroeks is eager to work on his time trial and explosiveness.

"That Remco is now out of the competition for the GC doesn't necessarily mean I feel more pressure," he continues. "My initial goal was to compete for a top ten placement. Whether Remco is ahead or behind me in the standings doesn't matter to me. Not much changed when he had his bad day. But maybe now I should make sure that Belgium stays high in the rankings," he says with his characteristic smile. "No, I'm just riding my race as I had envisioned it beforehand."

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The enthusiastic Flemish rider has never hidden his boundless ambition throughout the race, even when plagued by persistent saddle pain. "I really suffered," Uijtdebroeks says on the second rest day. "I think every rider knows that something like that can really hurt. We're on the bike for at least five hours every day, so it's not something that heals right away. We tried various ointments to alleviate it. Actually, it was worst during the time trial because you're in a completely different position. I thought I was over it, but it resurfaced in the past few days. So, we're just trying to keep it under control as best as possible. This rest day is coming at a good time for me and my skin. But it's still a grand tour, and such issues are part of the package."

The Angliru is a new climb for the always cheerful Uijtdebroeks.

According to his own account, Uijtdebroeks, who also expresses his desire to maintain his place in the top ten, has been able to discover himself as a rider quite well over the past two weeks. The cheerful climber has, especially with an eye on the (near) future, realized on which aspects he wants, can, and must improve. "I need to work on my time trial, that's a point of focus. My explosiveness also needs attention. Increasing my explosiveness will automatically make me a better rider in crosswinds. With good punch, you can much more easily find the right position in a crosswind. These two things really stand out."

The last week of the Vuelta is no walk in the park either, as it includes a mountain stage towards the mythical Angliru. IDLProCycling.com was curious if that monster in Asturias scares him a bit. "Honestly, I've never ridden it. I recently asked my trainer if it was a good idea to explore the climb, but he said it was better not to. Otherwise, I would be mentally broken on the day we tackle it in the Vuelta," he says, getting the audience (read: the cycling press) on his side. "So, I've only watched a few videos of it. I'm not necessarily scared of it, but it's incredibly steep, of course. You can gain a lot of time there, but also definitely lose it. Many guys were also apprehensive about the Tourmalet stage, while I was really looking forward to it. Maybe it won't be any different now. I'm very curious."

Uijtdebroeks, who won the Tour de l'Avenir in 2022, is a real cheerful character. In today's cycling peloton, there are few riders who are as consistently passionate and cheerful as the Belgian riding for a German team, and he also turns out to be quite the talker. His youthful enthusiasm is infectious and even prompts a specific question about that enthusiasm. "I'm just having a great time. It's like working without feeling like work. I love what I do immensely. Sometimes it feels like I'm still a junior. I'm thoroughly enjoying myself. Of course, there are tough moments, but my love for cycling makes up for a lot. Now that I know that on some days I can even keep up with the very best riders in the world, it's just extra special. I'm always myself, and when I'm happy, I smile," he says (of course) with an enormous grin.