Uijtdebroeks counters Movistar myth: ‘The support structure is excellent’

The language is still a work in progress, though he approaches it with the same methodical discipline he applies to his training sessions. “I speak it a little, but not very well yet. It will come. I tried Duolingo, and I follow online lessons through Teams,” he said.

Even so, those early days with Movistar felt unexpectedly natural. “You might expect I would feel uncomfortable because I do not speak the language, but it was great. It felt like coming home in a way. That was exactly what I was looking for.”

His decision to leave Visma had been forming for some time. His ambitions pointed toward the long stage races, while the hierarchy at his former team made those opportunities scarce.

“My heart is with the Grand Tours. That is where I want to ride for a classification. You cannot do that if you are not riding them, and at Visma that would have been very difficult with the riders they have,” he explained.

The departure of a key figure only reinforced that feeling. “Maybe the departure of Merijn Zeeman played a role. He was a bit of a mentor for me.”

What he sought went beyond tactics or race programs. He wanted a different tone around him. “I needed this freedom. I am very strict and disciplined by nature, so a slightly more relaxed team is good for me. Sometimes you need someone around you who says 'tranquilo' in a calm way. Alex has that quality too. That southern mentality suits me.”

Movistar’s initial conversations stood out because they did not begin with data or performance charts. The approach was more collaborative, something Uijtdebroeks immediately appreciated. 

“I trust my first conversation with a team a lot. It was very good here, even without talking about performance. I get a lot of input and freedom to shape my programme. We are waiting for the Giro route, but I will go for a classification in one of the Grand Tours. Maybe I need a bit of convincing for the heavy Tour parcours, but I would consider it. We will see. I will ride the Ardennes classics anyway.”

The biggest surprise has been how well structured the day-to-day support is. The clichés about Movistar being less modern did not match what he found. “People often say that, but I noticed the support structure is excellent. No apps, but a very human approach. Everyone has a personal nutritionist. I am contacted almost every day to fine-tune the planning.”

The move came at a moment when he felt ready for a reset. His final seasons at Visma were defined by illness, nerve issues and experiments that did not always work, forcing him to question long-held habits.

Speaking to Domestique earlier this year, Uijtdebroeks said: “I think I learned a lot from my time with Visma. I think you learn more from the negatives, so I learned a lot in training about what is important, what works for me, what does not work for me, and about nutrition and bike position. We tried some different things. We found out that some things just do not work. This is really important for the future.”

That clearer self-understanding made the choice for Movistar feel like the right step. And the team’s ambition only strengthened that impression. “They really want to go all in, and that is the reason I chose Movistar.”

A few weeks in, his early impressions match the promise.