Cian Uijtdebroeks calls an end to his illness-struck 2024 season

Cian Uijtdebroeks has announced that he's calling an end to his 2024 season, with no more races on the schedule this year for the Belgian racer.

The 21-year-old raced his first season with Visma-Lease A Bike this year following a controversial split with Bora-Hansgrohe, though illness has prevented him from hitting the heights that saw him finish in the top 10 on his Grand Tour debut at the 2023 Vuelta a España.

"My season of 2024 is over," Uijtdebroeks wrote on Instagram. "Taking some good rest and currently working on some physical issues to be ready for 2025. Looking forward to start building up again."

Uijtdebroeks will be hoping for a better campaign in 2025 following a year which saw him take on both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España before being forced to abandon both due to illness.

2024 season highlights have included top 10 finishes at O Gran Camiño and Tirreno-Adriatico, but he was forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia from fifth place while wearing the best young rider's jersey on stage 11.

At his late-season goal, the Vuelta, he complained of 'numb legs' as he fell out of overall contention before eventually being forced out of the race on stage 15 with a COVID-19 infection.

"I ride as hard as I can, my heart rate is not at the limit, but I still have a numb feeling in my legs and everything just blocks," he said during the Vuelta. "We have often said that it could be due to fatigue or this or that, but it cannot be that it keeps coming back. It cannot be fatigue every time.

"Until last year I never had this. I have never experienced riding around with such a numb feeling. Even when I touch them, my legs feel numb. I just can't do anything anymore. That's not normal."

Uijtdebroeks' travails have been typical of Visma-Lease A Bike's season following a year which saw the team sweep the three Grand Tours.

Star riders have fallen victim to crashes and illnesses throughout the season. Wout van Aert missed the bulk of the spring Classics following a crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen before later crashing out of the Vuelta while leading the points and mountains classifications. Jonas Vingegaard's bid for a third Tour de France was also derailed due to a long recovery from a career-threatening crash suffered at Itzulia Basque Country.