Is UAE Over the Top?

[Krzysztof_O]

It's funny you mention Hincapie because as someone looking at all of this from a simple neutral stance, IMO the entire narrative surrounding Ayuso (which you lean into here with this post) is entirely the oeuvre of UAE, Almeida and Pog fans spinning this one to the point Ayuso's role as a villain is a fait accompli.

Read some opinions about Ayuso after his recent "performance" (i.e. here https://cyclinguptodate.com/). Are all of them Almeida/Pogacar fanboys as well?

 

[Rackham]

Read some opinions about Ayuso after his recent "performance" (i.e. here https://cyclinguptodate.com/). Are all of them Almeida/Pogacar fanboys as well?

I thought I was pretty clear with my viewpoint here, i.e. I'm looking at this as someone who lived through the whole US Postal drama(s). Been there, done that. Tyler Hamilton pitting himself against Lance and jealousy running rampant in the team? Yeah, déjà-vu.

The minutiae of what happens within UAE is so beyond the grasp of what bystanders get a peek at (aka you only see the tip of the iceberg) so it's pretty much impossible to draw conclusions. And like I said, riders like Jan Christen have now joined Ayuso's ranks in doing whatever-he-wants. Coincidence? Hardly. More like emblematic of a structural issue that absolutely relates to PED abuse - just like how 'respect' at Postal had to be enforced with an iron fist because a few riders there wanted a taste of the glory considering 'how' that glory was achieved.

 

[Rackham]

I'll basically surmise this in a few words here: in order to take the argument that Ayuso is a 'bad teammate' seriously I'm required to take UAE's cycling team... seriously. And not view them as the clown show of opportunists and con artists that they are.

And that is something I cannot do. It always amazes me how people think old rules pertaining to riding as teammates and doing the right thing on the road even matters when teams like UAE transgress absolutely every other rule as a matter of business.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So, will they pay off the UCI to target him next year, Mayo-Hamilton style?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Perhaps UAE's reluctance to let Ayuso go was more about him/ISM knowing where some of the bodies were buried, because they aren't exactly short on talent, and he just isn't worth it given the trouble he's causing.

Say what you want about him not being good for Pogacar, Jan Christen is also his guy and he looks absolutely lethal.

I didn't know this. Do know you who else is coached by San millan?

Looking at the trajectories of Ajuso, Pocagar and now cristen, you wonder if San millan methods are amazing for a young rider transitioning to pro, but don't work so well for continued development further into the career? Ajuso is now same age as Pocagar was in august/September 2021.

Then again this could be totally wrong as I don't know who else is coached by San Milan and could just be random correlation.

But yeah all those 3 guys had amazing transition into the world tour, Pocagar and Ajuso podium their first grand tour, but Pocagar stall around 2022-23 before he change coaches, and Ajuso career is also stalling. Cristen also for such a young rider is crazy strong early in his career.

 

[Tim Cahill]

I didn't know this. Do know you who else is coached by San millan?

Looking at the trajectories of Ajuso, Pocagar and now cristen, you wonder if San millan methods are amazing for a young rider transitioning to pro, but don't work so well for continued development further into the career? Ajuso is now same age as Pocagar was in august/September 2021.

Then again this could be totally wrong as I don't know who else is coached by San Milan and could just be random correlation.

But yeah all those 3 guys had amazing transition into the world tour, Pocagar and Ajuso podium their first grand tour, but Pocagar stall around 2022-23 before he change coaches, and Ajuso career is also stalling. Cristen also for such a young rider is crazy strong early in his career.

Mcnulty, Majka, Adam Yates

Though he moved to Bilbao last year so this may have changed a bit, I know he still coaches Ayuso and Christen at the very least.

His role was more bloodwork analysis I believe, rather than the individual training thing contrary to what was reported.

There was a guy in a the Mou thread who's information seemed strangely accurate, ironically a very observant fan or someone with actual information who wasn't happy about what was being said. The thing about Sola training Yates is allegedly bollocks, despite what many media sources reported last year, picking up the phone and asking people a lost art I think.

 

[HashRouge]

Perhaps UAE's reluctance to let Ayuso go was more about him/ISM knowing where some of the bodies were buried, because they aren't exactly short on talent, and he just isn't worth it given the trouble he's causing.

Say what you want about him not being good for Pogacar, Jan Christen is also his guy and he looks absolutely lethal.

Brailsfraud might be a little short on knowledge and looking for some new contacts given the trouble he's been having recently, Trek don't really need it, their riders seem to be flying at the moment.

I actually think they've let him go surprisingly easily. The news about him hiring a new agent came out in late July, and it seems like he's known he was leaving since before the start of the Vuelta. The actual process of him leaving his UAE contract seems to have been much more straightforward than anyone expected.

 

[HashRouge]

I didn't know this. Do know you who else is coached by San millan?

Looking at the trajectories of Ajuso, Pocagar and now cristen, you wonder if San millan methods are amazing for a young rider transitioning to pro, but don't work so well for continued development further into the career? Ajuso is now same age as Pocagar was in august/September 2021.

Then again this could be totally wrong as I don't know who else is coached by San Milan and could just be random correlation.

But yeah all those 3 guys had amazing transition into the world tour, Pocagar and Ajuso podium their first grand tour, but Pocagar stall around 2022-23 before he change coaches, and Ajuso career is also stalling. Cristen also for such a young rider is crazy strong early in his career.

Please, his name is Ayuso, not Ajuso. They are completely different sounds in Spanish.

 

[Red Rick]

So, will they pay off the UCI to target him next year, Mayo-Hamilton style?

Or he's just blacklisted and gets chased down for no reason.

I wouldn't go for him if I were a different team.

He's also too expensive for Visma to take a punt I guess.

 

[proffate]

Please, his name is Ayuso, not Ajuso. They are completely different sounds in Spanish.

but pocagar is the same as pogacar in Slovenian, eh

 

[pastronef]

Or he's just blacklisted and gets chased down for no reason.

I wouldn't go for him if I were a different team.

He's also too expensive for Visma to take a punt I guess.

Moreno Moser on Discovery said Pog told the UAE management he wants him OUT of the team NOW. Ayuso is on the black list and Tadej will chase him for the rest of his days

 

[CleanCiclismo]

but pocagar is the same as pogacar in Slovenian, eh

uhm, it's actually Pogačar...

 

[Rob5091]

I didn't know this. Do know you who else is coached by San millan?

Looking at the trajectories of Ajuso, Pocagar and now cristen, you wonder if San millan methods are amazing for a young rider transitioning to pro, but don't work so well for continued development further into the career? Ajuso is now same age as Pocagar was in august/September 2021.

Then again this could be totally wrong as I don't know who else is coached by San Milan and could just be random correlation.

But yeah all those 3 guys had amazing transition into the world tour, Pocagar and Ajuso podium their first grand tour, but Pocagar stall around 2022-23 before he change coaches, and Ajuso career is also stalling. Cristen also for such a young rider is crazy strong early in his career.

Apparently the norm is take a good young rider, see how good he is without "chemical assistance" and then add the sprinkles and cherries on the top to see how good a responder he is. Volià, rocket trajectory followed by plateau.

 

[Unchained]

Ayuso is a young man, so throughout time young men are not known for good judgment, not known for vast experience or patience, maturity. Ayuso will soon realize that all other teams start with a 10-50+% smaller budget. All other teams don't have the depth of UAE. UAE dealing with a problem that no other team has, Pogacar is currently the recognized best in the sport, and many others in UAE organization are riding in some kind of parity with the remaining peloton. So at UAE as a young capable rider you must wait for your turn for an opportunity. Some of the arbitrary events have definitely affected UAE suddenly the problems were magnified by the accidental emergence of Isaac Del Toro, so Ayuso, Christen, Almeida are in a slightly larger rotation for Pogacar leftovers.
Who knows if Ayuso is right or wrong, very very personal decision, but in my opinion, the way he has gone about it, his personal and professional conduct are horrible, damaging to him and his brand. UAE are over the top by design, they pay, recruit, develop to be over the top. And now you have Ayuso and l'Avenir standouts understanding the limitations of the UAE system and going in a different direction. And lots of transfer rumors are of UAE going to towards some traditional team structure and going after dedicated sprinter type riders like Girmay for example.
It's portrayed in the media that UAE outclassed everyone by funding the best riders, but people can see that being the best has unfortunate, unintended consequences when you get too many good riders concentrated on one team.

 

[Red Rick]

Oh look, a Vuelta where stagehunters get a good amount of chances


Aand it's UAE with a 100% strike rate.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Oh look, a Vuelta where stagehunters get a good amount of chances


Aand it's UAE with a 100% strike rate.

Without Pogi UAE is a group of freelancers, stagehunters etc

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Moreno Moser on Discovery said Pog told the UAE management he wants him OUT of the team NOW. Ayuso is on the black list and Tadej will chase him for the rest of his days

Moreno Moser is a commentator??? If I watching Italian Disco+ I'd be fascinated to hear anything he has to say of career trajectories.

 

[pastronef]

Moreno Moser is a commentator??? If I watching Italian Disco+ I'd be fascinated to hear anything he has to say of career trajectories.

yes he is, but I avoid Italian Discovery. I watch in English, or Italian RAI on the tv when I'm home

 

[Abedfo]

Just calling it now, Ayuso 100% is going to be popped by the authorities in the next 12-18months.

 

[AlpRaid]

please can anyone say they thought Almeida would one day win on Angliru even two years ago.

uae are absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Abedfo]

please can anyone say they thought Almeida would one day win on Angliru even two years ago.

uae are absolutely ridiculous.

Ruining pro cycling race by race.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

They won half the stages of the vuelta. Gianetti shoild not be in our sport.

 

[AlpRaid]

worlds will be a uae top 4: pog, Almeida, del toro, ayuso.

 

[AlpRaid]

They won half the stages of the vuelta. Gianetti shoild not be in our sport.

it's literally the same as having Bruyneel and Armstrong running a team today that was winning everything. Gianetti's "past" is equal on so many levels, both as a rider and DS.

 

[AlpRaid]

almeida matching epo-engorged performance by heras.