Wout van Aert may be a much-missed figure for Belgian fans at this year’s Giro d’Italia, but an impressive debut for his compatriot and teammate Cian Uijtdebroeks has surely sparked a fresh wave of interest back home in the Italian Grand Tour.
Eighth in the Vuelta a España last year, the Visma-Lease a Bike racer had already been tipped by Belgium, as well as cycling’s greatest-ever racer Eddy Merckx, as a strong candidate for the Giro’s best young rider classification.
“He’s not at the level of a Tadej Pogačar,” Merckx told la Gazzetta dello Sport this week, “but he can still do a great Giro.”
There is no knowing if Merckx’s comments had served as inspiration to the 21-year-old Uijtdebroeks on the Oropa summit finish climb on Sunday. But in any case, by finishing a scant 30 seconds off the pace on stage 2 behind winner Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), the young Belgian is now fourth overall and is enjoying the start of a spell in the white jersey as best young rider, his first in a Grand Tour.
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“I didn’t think of getting the white jersey today, but I rode as hard as I could and I’ve got it, which is fantastic,” Uijtdebroeks told Sporza.be.
“When I first heard that I was in white, I couldn’t believe it, I thought they must have made a mistake. But in fact I’m very contented to have taken my first Grand Tour classification jersey.”
Rather than risk blowing up by reacting to every move, Uijtdebroeks said he had ridden at his own pace on the 11-kilometre Oropa. He pointed out that in a sprint at the finish, where he placed seventh, he knew in any case that he wouldn’t be up there.
As for whether he will be able to defend his lead, Uijtdebroeks echoed the words of Pogačar, saying that there was still a long way to go and a lot of challenges to come.
"I'm looking forward to the stages with longer climbs, and I felt good on the steep parts of the climb today, too. And of course, this is a jersey you don’t give up without a fight.”
Pogačar was the Tour de France’s best young rider for four consecutive years and won the youth classification at the 2019 Vuelta a España. Pogačar’s eligibility to win Grand Tour white jerseys has expired since he turned 25 in September 2023.
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