Movistar faces scrutiny after Uijtdebroeks reveals he is racing the Tour with fever

The 23-year-old Belgian, making his Tour debut as Movistar’s designated leader, limited the damage on Monday by finishing 27th, one minute down on the stage winner. But speaking afterwards to Sporza, Uijtdebroeks admitted that he is far from fully healthy.

“When you are not healthy, it is difficult,” he said after the stage. “But I fought.”

Asked what exactly was wrong, Uijtdebroeks replied: “Fever... That was already the case yesterday. We will see. Can I continue? I hope so. We have to make sure I recover well and keep everything under control.”

“I am just not good and I feel a bit dizzy,” he said. “I got through today, but it takes a lot of energy. It also explains what has happened over the past few days.”

Movistar confirmed that Uijtdebroeks has been feverish and said that this was why he had been performing well below his usual level. The team said it would continue to support him and monitor his condition.

That explanation, however, quickly drew criticism. Racing with a fever is widely considered a serious risk, particularly in a Grand Tour and especially in the extreme heat currently affecting the race, with temperatures rising to almost 40 degrees Celsius.

Former professional rider Thomas De Gendt questioned Movistar’s decision directly, writing on X: “How can the doctors of Movistar allow Cian to continue with a fever?”

Belgian journalist Jonas Creteur also pointed to the medical risks on Bluesky, noting that doctors and cardiologists generally warn against doing sport with even a light fever because of possible long term effects on the heart. He referred to a recent interview with cardiologist Guido Claessen, who warned that unnoticed myocarditis can sometimes play a role and that continuing to train with fever increases the risk.

Dutch journalist Thijs Zonneveld was even more blunt. “Racing with fever, and in these temperatures, is completely absurd and life threatening,” he wrote on X.

Ahead of stage 4, the situation remained worrying. Uijtdebroeks did not speak to the press at the start, with Movistar saying he had endured “a heavy night”.

“He is struggling with gastroenteritis and diarrhoea,” Movistar sports director Jürgen Roelandts told Sporza before the stage. “In this heat, that is very harmful. Cian is feverish, which is normal with that kind of stomach and intestinal infection.”

Roelandts was then pressed on the difference between having a fever and being feverish.

“What is fever?” he said. “The responsibility remains with the doctor. He certainly did not start with more than 37.5 degrees. It was 37.3. That is feverish, but yes, it is on the limit. If it had been 38.5 or 39 degrees, he definitely would not have started.”

Roelandts insisted that Uijtdebroeks had been checked shortly before the start.

“Cian definitely has no fever now, because we measured his temperature just now,” he said. “But at 40 degrees, it is difficult to keep his temperature low.”

Asked whether Movistar should protect its rider by taking him out of the race, Roelandts said the team had to weigh several factors.

“If Cian is dropped after two kilometres, then it makes no sense,” he said. “If he is dropped after 150 kilometres, then it is not far anymore and that is that. Tomorrow is also a sprint stage.”