Uijtdebroeks Learns from Time Trial Woes, Drinks 5 Liters Before Stage Start

Belgian cyclist Cian Uijtdebroeks, leading the Movistar team, took a significant lesson from the cramping that cost him 1.53 minutes in the opening team time trial of the Tour de France. To prevent a repeat of the issue, he arrived at the start of the first road stage in Tarragona having consumed 5 liters of water.

The 23-year-old rider, who joined the Tour with the goal of securing a top 10 overall position, struggled to keep pace with his teammates during the initial time trial, finishing with a time loss that could impact his overall standing. Uijtdebroeks appeared in the mixed zone wearing a cooling vest and commented on his hydration efforts.

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I can't let those cramps happen again. The time trial was horrible, we all know it. I sank at the worst possible moment. It's not a good way to start the Tour, but it's not a disaster, the whole Tour remains.

"I can't let those cramps happen again. The time trial was horrible, we all know it. I sank at the worst possible moment. It's not a good way to start the Tour, but it's not a disaster, the whole Tour remains," Uijtdebroeks stated, acknowledging the disappointing start but remaining optimistic about the rest of the race.

Uijtdebroeks expressed confidence in his current fitness, acquired during training, while admitting that time trialing is not his strongest discipline. "My strength is not precisely the time trial, the power output," he said. The experience of a bad day will remain with the Belgian, who is making his Tour de France debut while carrying the responsibility of leading Movistar. The team will need to analyze the causes of his struggles during the Montjuic time trial.

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My strength is not precisely the time trial, the power output.