Cian Uijtdebroeks in tears after surviving Vuelta time cut on agonising day in Andorra: ‘I can’t feel the pain anymore’

The Belgian crossed the line 26 minutes and 11 seconds after stage winner Tadej Pogačar, having spent much of the 104.8 kilometre stage isolated at the back of the race.

For a while, it appeared his Vuelta might be over. Under the time limit originally listed for the stage, Uijtdebroeks and seven other riders would have finished outside the cut.

The stage had initially been classified in category 4, which would have imposed a time limit of 16 percent of Pogačar’s winning time. With the Slovenian averaging 39.157 kilometres per hour, that would have left the remaining riders roughly 25 minutes and 42 seconds to reach the finish.

However, the stage classification had been changed to category 5 before the start, increasing the limit to 20 percent and giving riders 32 minutes and seven seconds. The alteration was communicated to team directors, but not to the media, causing confusion after the finish.

That decision ultimately kept Uijtdebroeks in the race.

Seven other riders also benefited from the revised limit: Gianni Moscon, Sente Sentjens, Marc Brustenga, Lindsay De Vylder, Arthur Kluckers, Hamish McKenzie and Jasha Sütterlin. The main gruppetto, which included Wout van Aert, had arrived around 24 minutes and 35 seconds after Pogačar and would have survived even under the original limit.

For Uijtdebroeks, however, simply reaching the finish represented an achievement.

The Movistar rider crashed during stage two and subsequently discovered that he had suffered a small fracture in his ankle. He admitted before Tuesday’s stage that walking remained difficult, although doctors had given him permission to continue racing.

The effects were obvious almost immediately in Andorra.

Uijtdebroeks, who lives and trains in the principality, was among the first riders to lose contact after the race began climbing out of Andorra la Vella. Wrapped up following his crash, he struggled to find a comfortable position on the bike.

“That is not riding a bike, that is hanging on to one,” Belgian cycling analyst José De Cauwer observed during Sporza’s television coverage.

What should have been a special stage on familiar roads instead became a fight simply to stay in the Vuelta.

After finally crossing the line, Uijtdebroeks broke down in tears as members of Movistar gathered around him.

“I can’t feel the pain anymore,” he said.

Movistar paid tribute to Uijtdebroeks in the caption accompanying the video.

“Cian, you have no idea how proud we are of you,” the team wrote. “You gave everything to finish the stage in what has been a very difficult year for you. Whenever bad luck has stayed out of your way, you have shown what you are capable of. You are a fighter, and we have no doubt you will show it again.”

The revised time limit means Uijtdebroeks is eligible to start stage five on Wednesday.

Whether continuing the Vuelta is the right decision is another question. 

After Tuesday’s ordeal, Movistar and Uijtdebroeks now have to decide how much longer a rider with a fractured ankle should keep fighting simply to remain in the race.