Cian Uijtdebroeks feels he needs to slow down a bit: "Sometimes I just want too much"

The Tour of Switzerland is not going as hoped for Cian Uijtdebroeks. The Belgian climber had two tough days and was consequently knocked out of the top of the GC. As an eager young rider, Uijtdebroeks naturally wants more, but in a conversation with IDLProCycling.com, he also shows himself to be realistic and self-critical.

Although things did not go as hoped, the 21-year-old spoke to us with his well-known smile, grateful to his teammates at Visma | Lease a Bike. "Friday's stage was a good example of that," he recalled the shortened race to Blatten. "It just really didn't go well, but Attila Valter stayed with me to motivate me."

"I'm just in a great team, surrounded by wonderful people. I really appreciate that," he said in his sixth month with Richard Plugge's squad. "I haven't regretted my decision for a moment. Not even now, despite some lesser moments we've had. We always keep thinking ahead: how can we do better, what's causing the issues, how can we solve them? We also looked straight away with my coach at what comes next."

The direct approach required some adjustment for a moment. 'Maybe a little. It's a little more direct, but it's not too bad in the end. A change of team is always difficult. Different equipment, a different way of training, approach to nutrition ... it does take some time before you are completely adjusted. But I don't regret it for one single second."

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Self-critical Uijtdebroeks: "Maybe I went too fast"

A 91st place in the mountain stage to Villars-sur-Ollon is clearly not where Uijtdebroeks should be ranking, as the team at Visma | Lease a Bike is well aware. Team director Marc Reef had already anticipated this, as he explained afterwards to this site. "Cian had been struggling a bit, so in that sense, we somewhat expected this outcome."

The Belgian rider himself acknowledged this. "To be completely honest: my condition isn't what it should have been. That was evident and perhaps even to be expected. Maybe I accelerated my training too quickly and my body is a bit depleted," said Uijtdebroeks, who had to withdraw from the Giro d'Italia in May while in a promising position due to fever and lung pain.

"That certainly had an impact, but I'm someone who always wants to move on to the next goal," he described his character. "I know I sometimes go too fast, and that has happened now. Then my body says: Cian, that's enough for now. Does the team say that too? Indeed. You don't need to motivate me, but rather hold me back," he concluded.