Uijtdebroeks delivers statement win to take Tour de l’Ain
Cian Uijtdebroeks left no doubt he is back, powering to a dominant victory in the final stage of the Tour de l’Ain and sealing the overall classification. The 21-year-old Belgian from Team Visma | Lease a Bike distanced race leader Nicolas Prodhomme on the Col du Grand Colombier and soloed the final 50 kilometres to Belley. In one afternoon, he doubled his tally of professional wins, taking both the stage and the GC in emphatic style.
The final stage covered 130.4 kilometres from Plateau d’Hauteville to Belley, featuring the Col de la Biche and the Col du Grand Colombier. Only two seconds separated Prodhomme and Uijtdebroeks at the start, leaving the outcome of the race wide open.
Classifications leader Nicolas Prodhomme was active from the start, joining an early breakaway in an attempt to defend his narrow lead. Visma | Lease a Bike closed the gap before the first climb. A second move went clear without the yellow jersey but was caught on the slopes of the Col de la Biche, where Visma’s pace reduced the peloton to a small lead group.
On the lower slopes of the Colombier, Ben Tulett attacked, leaving only Uijtdebroeks and Prodhomme at the front. Tulett then kept the tempo high until Uijtdebroeks launched his attack with 11 kilometres remaining to the summit. Prodhomme initially held his wheel but was distanced when the Belgian accelerated again.
Uijtdebroeks crested the climb with a lead of over one and a half minutes. The gap stayed steady on the descent, but over the final 20 kilometres of rolling roads he extended it to more than three minutes. Prodhomme finished second on the stage, with Tulett winning the sprint for third from the chasing group. Tulett also secured third place overall.
A powerful response to setbacks
“This is incredible,” Uijtdebroeks said. “The past few months have been tough, so it feels amazing to come back like this. In San Sebastián I could feel my form returning, but this is something else. My dream was to win a race this year. My goal was to learn how to win. To actually do it now is just amazing.”
The result caps a difficult period for the Belgian, whose first season with Visma was marred by back problems. In March he was forced to abandon Tirreno-Adriatico with the same injury, and a training crash in June delayed his return once more.
A ninth place at the Clásica San Sebastián hinted at progress, but in the Tour de l’Ain Uijtdebroeks confirmed it in the most decisive way possible.
