Jumbo-Visma supervisor Richard Plugge has signalled his serious about signing Cian Uijtdebroeks when the Belgian rider’s contract with Bora-Hansgrohe expires on the finish of 2024.
Uijtdebroeks made a powerful Grand Tour debut at this 12 months’s Vuelta a España, inserting eighth general in Madrid, although he confessed to tensions with teammate Aleksandr Vlasov, who completed a spot forward of him.
The 20-year-old later expressed frustration along with his crew after issues along with his bike on the Chrono des Nations, although he subsequently downplayed reviews that he may search to depart Bora-Hansgrohe this winter.
In keeping with GCN, Ineos and Lidl-Trek are each reportedly amongst Uijtdebroeks’ suitors, whereas Plugge confirmed Jumbo-Visma’s curiosity in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws this weekend.
“We’re certainly serious about Cian,” Plugge stated. “We had been when he was nonetheless a junior. We already spoke to him then, however he has a contract. Our 2024 crew is full, however by no means say by no means.”
Final week, Uijtdebroeks informed La Dernière Heure that he hoped to experience the Giro d’Italia with Bora-Hansgrohe subsequent season, including that he was open to discussions with groups a couple of switch in 2025.
“I’m nonetheless beneath contract however I do know there are different groups,” he stated. “The cleverest possibility is to speak with everyone and see what the others can supply. Listening is rarely a foul factor to do. And as soon as I’ve all of the playing cards in hand, we’ll see what’s greatest for me in 2025.”
Uijtdebroeks shall be joined on Bora-Hansgrohe’s 2024 roster by Primož Roglič, who was free of his Jumbo-Visma contract a 12 months earlier than its expiry. Plugge acknowledged that having Roglič as an opponent would make profitable the Tour de France extra sophisticated for Jonas Vingegaard and his crew.
“[Vingegaard] has to see how he and the crew can do higher subsequent 12 months, as a result of Pogačar will arm himself in a different way,” Plugge informed HLN. “And out of the blue we’ve Primož Roglič as an opponent. And we’ve a couple of extra like that. Which suggests we should go to the Tour in a different way and higher than this 12 months.”
