Deceuninck-QuickStep youngster Remco Evenpoel is just starting his professional career, but already there is a lot of talk in the Belgian media about the "next Evenpoel". In his first year as a junior, 17-year-old Sian Uitdebroeks is attracting attention not only from the best Belgian teams, but also from Jumbo Visma and Team Sunweb.

Earlier this year, the young Belgian won his first major race at the junior level with the Akrog Tormans team.

In 2019, he won the three-day stage race Critérium Européen des Jeunes by 3:41, as well as the Belgian championship road race, Tour de Ain, Chrono des Nations and Challenge Voeckler.

Uit de Brux's progress continued last week when he spent four days with Deceuninck-Quick Step at their training camp in the Dolomites. On Friday morning, Evenepaul himself commented on the youngster's progress on Twitter.

"Let's talk when he has the triple crown of Belgian Champion, European Champion, and World Champion! Or when he wins the European Championship with a 10 minute lead!"

In response to a tweet comparing the two, Evenpoel joked, citing his own victory.

Of the three WorldTour teams reportedly chasing Uit de Brux, Deceuninck-QuickStep, a team with strong ties to Balen BC, the cycling club behind Akrog Tormans (open in new tab), is already a front runners.

The club has sent many riders to the propeloton over the years, including Jasper Philipsen, Hermann Frisson, Jelle Vanendert, and Kevin Shieldrayers. Wilfred Peters, the current Quick Step Directeur Sportif, also came from the club, as did Evenpole and Tom Bohnen.

"He got a taste of the team atmosphere," Dečuninck Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefebvre told Het Nieuwsblad (open in new tab). He got a taste of the team atmosphere," Dettunink-Quickstep boss Patrick Lefebvre told Het Nieuwsblad (opens tab).

"He makes a good impression, but it is not our intention to offer a professional contract to a 17-year-old. They are not all Evenpoel, and we have to avoid a situation like Sunweb is doing with Marco Brenner, who is already under contract at that age."

Akrog Tolman president Jeff Roberts admitted that Uitdebreuks would eventually jump out of the U23 and turn pro, but told Wielerflits (open in new tab) that he would remain with the team for one more season.

"Once COVID-19 stops bothering me, I will enjoy him for another year," Roberts said. It's true that he has the potential to jump over the espoir level and go pro right away, like Lemko."

Roberts added that Uitde Brooks' dominating Kuhne win was not even the most impressive feat he has seen.

"Every year we go to Spain for a training camp," he said. Every year there, we plan a 7km climb to do a time trial, and two years ago, Evenpoel beat Yasper Philipsen's record by more than two minutes." At the last camp, Sian beat the record by another half minute."

"His only downfall is sprinting, but he is right up there with the best in climbing and time trials. He can do things I've never seen before."

Among the talented riders stepping up from Barren BC, Sian Wittdebroeks deserves a mention.