Uijtdebroeks abandons Tour of Valencia, but relief after hospital visit

Uijtdebroeks went down with around 35 kilometres to go in what appeared to be a heavy crash involving several riders. Teammate Michel Hessmann was caught up, as were Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates–XRG) and Giovanni Aleotti (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe). The 22-year-old Belgian was buried somewhere in the pile-up, but he did manage to continue.

It soon became clear, however, that he was in significant pain. Uijtdebroeks finished more than ten minutes behind stage winner Andrew August (INEOS Grenadiers). After the finish, he climbed into the ambulance and was taken to hospital due to severe pain in his left arm, where doctors investigated the possibility of fractures or other injuries.

Het Laatste Nieuws spoke to Movistar sports director Jürgen Roelandts after the stage. “After the crash, Cian could no longer hold his handlebars because of pain in his left wrist and left elbow,” Roelandts explained. Movistar were not optimistic at first: “We’re having X-rays taken at the hospital now, but we fear a small fracture in the wrist.”

It is a major setback for Uijtdebroeks, who left Visma | Lease a Bike this winter. Movistar were quick to take him on and have already earmarked him as one of their leaders for the Tour de France — but this is not the start he would have wanted.

There was a scare, but the news from hospital was ultimately positive. According to Sporza, scans showed no fractures. Even so, Uijtdebroeks will not start stage 4, and he will abandon the Tour of Valencia as a precaution. His next race is expected to be Paris–Nice in early March.