Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[staubsauger]

Ayuso currently takes part in UAE's altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada with their designated Tour squad. Did some rides in the snow on Sunday. Looks like a good training block after his late entree to the season.

Tour de Suisse should give some indications what to expect in his build-up towards the Vuelta a Espana. Unless there's a big surprise to come.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1660370227484405762

View: https://twitter.com/doctorinigo/status/1660370227484405762?s=20

 

[Offline]

Do he still have problems with injuries or is it just bad form?

 

[SafeBet]

Perhaps still finding his best legs after a long time with little racing?
A bit of inconsistency should be expected.

 

[Landeirovic]

In my opinion, there is still clear progress to be seen. In romandia he was 27th in the 1st mountain stage and lost 3:28. yesterday he was 3rd in a tough mountain stage and today he was 14th and lost "only" 49 seconds against Evenepoel

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

In my opinion, there is still clear progress to be seen. In romandia he was 27th in the 1st mountain stage and lost 3:28. yesterday he was 3rd in a tough mountain stage and today he was 14th and lost "only" 49 seconds against Evenepoel

Why are you using Evenepoel, who is clearly sub-par himself, as the reference? He lost 2 minutes to Gall, who is hardly Pogacar. In case of Skjelmose and Evenepoel, you could even say they had the luxury of letting Gall take time, so maybe they could have gone even faster. In Ayuso's case, that's not true because he couldn't afford to lose time to Skjelmose and Evenepoel.

It was a bad day, and clearly Ayuso is still finding his form. Let's see tomorrow. But even if that doesn't turn out great either, i have no doubt in his potential. What he showed last year in the Vuelta was too good to doubt him now.

 

[Lequack]

Well his goal is the Vuelta, so he has plenty of time to find form.

 

[staubsauger]

Why are you using Evenepoel, who is clearly sub-par himself, as the reference? He lost 2 minutes to Gall, who is hardly Pogacar. In case of Skjelmose and Evenepoel, you could even say they had the luxury of letting Gall take time, so maybe they could have gone even faster. In Ayuso's case, that's not true because he couldn't afford to lose time to Skjelmose and Evenepoel.

It was a bad day, and clearly Ayuso is still finding his form. Let's see tomorrow. But even if that doesn't turn out great either, i have no doubt in his potential. What he showed last year in the Vuelta was too good to doubt him now.

100%

If this is him being mediocre, it's actually even convincing. Others would be horse crap being mediocre. He still wins TT's at Romandie and probably gets a Top 5 at the Tour de Suisse.

It remains to be seen whether he's supreme at the Vuelta a Espana however.

If so, it's not hard to imagine that he's someone who's able to sustain an attack by gradually running out with a steady rhythm after creating a gap.

 

[Lequack]

Quite a different showing today. Great win.

 

[SafeBet]

Bad days can happen to anyone, especially after missing a good portion of winter training with an injury.
What he did today doesn't happen to anyone.
He is just special.

 

[KZD]

Amazing performance from Ayuso today, not just on the climb but also downhill.

He can still win the Tour of Switzerland if he does a great time trial and will be one of the biggest favourites for the Vuelta. He is on the path to become one of the best riders in the world.

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

I was kinda happy to be proven wrong today. I don't have much hope for the new spanish gc hopeful. I don't know why he is touted as a gc a guy, i think he should leave the mindset he is so talented to be stuck as a gc guy.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I was kinda happy to be proven wrong today. I don't have much hope for the new spanish gc hopeful. I don't know why he is touted as a gc a guy, i think he should leave the mindset he is so talented to be stuck as a gc guy.

Maybe because he finished on the podium of the first GT he rode at the age of 19?

 

[DNP-Old]

Maybe because he finished on the podium of the first GT he rode at the age of 19?

In a race he wasn't supposed to participate in, I would like to add.

 

[Berniece]

I was kinda happy to be proven wrong today. I don't have much hope for the new spanish gc hopeful. I don't know why he is touted as a gc a guy, i think he should leave the mindset he is so talented to be stuck as a gc guy.

What's wrong with being a GC guy? You can be a GC guy and still go for wins in classics. Look at Pogacar and Evenepoel.

 

[SHAD0W93]

What's wrong with being a GC guy? You can be a GC guy and still go for wins in classics. Look at Pogacar and Evenepoel.

Or Vino, Roglic, Nibali, Valverde, Purito and Sanchez, Evans, Pinot, and Cunego to an extent that were recent.

 

[perico]

This guy… is a f’n beast.

 

[KZD]

Despite not winning the GC today, Ayuso shows once again that he is one of the biggest talents in the peloton, his ability in these hilly time trials reminds me of Contador.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

A couple more months of injury-free training and we might get ourselves a Spanish winner of the Vuelta

 

[Miha81]

Impressive TT no matter the circumstances.

 

[Valv.Piti]

My Vuelta-favorite.

Remco is really having his work cut out. This is a very different Vuelta to last year, Ayuso is one year older (and obviously stronger), Roglic will come better prepared, so Remco has to bring his absolute A-game to win that race.

 

[perico]

Serious question. What the hell are UAE going to do if this kid is this good and keeps it up? Teddy is their leader for the next 5 or so years and I don’t think Almeida has reached his peak yet. I don’t see this kid on dom duties until Pogacar retires, nor do I see either of them satisfied winning the Vuelta or Giro every single year. If Ayuso wins La Vuelta this year, it’s going to be very crowded.

 

[DNP-Old]

Serious question. What the hell are UAE going to do if this kid is this good and keeps it up? Teddy is their leader for the next 5 or so years and I don’t think Almeida has reached his peak yet. I don’t see this kid on dom duties until Pogacar retires, nor do I see either of them satisfied winning the Vuelta or Giro every single year. If Ayuso wins La Vuelta this year, it’s going to be very crowded.

They've got Christen under contract for the next gazillion years too, it doesn't make much sense. Just throwing long contracts around and seeing what sticks. INEOS are desperate for a leader. I reckon they'd throw the sink at Ayuso if given the chance. And they should.

 

[perico]

They've got Christen under contract for the next gazillion years too, it doesn't make much sense. Just throwing long contracts around and seeing what sticks. INEOS are desperate for a leader. I reckon they'd throw the sink at Ayuso if given the chance. And they should.

And isn’t Ayuso signed through like 2040 or something? In all seriousness, I remember that it was an outrageously obscene amount of years.

 

[Bushman]

Serious question. What the hell are UAE going to do if this kid is this good and keeps it up? Teddy is their leader for the next 5 or so years and I don’t think Almeida has reached his peak yet. I don’t see this kid on dom duties until Pogacar retires, nor do I see either of them satisfied winning the Vuelta or Giro every single year. If Ayuso wins La Vuelta this year, it’s going to be very crowded.

No disrespect to Almeida who is a great rider but Ayuso is in another class, really. I dont think it will be long until Ayuso has overtaken the former in the UAE hierarchy. Potentially after this year’s Vuelta already.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Serious question. What the hell are UAE going to do if this kid is this good and keeps it up? Teddy is their leader for the next 5 or so years and I don’t think Almeida has reached his peak yet. I don’t see this kid on dom duties until Pogacar retires, nor do I see either of them satisfied winning the Vuelta or Giro every single year. If Ayuso wins La Vuelta this year, it’s going to be very crowded.

Almeida is destined to get crowded out. Ayuso is likely going to win the Vuelta this year or next and will then be stuck in a very weird position where he will be capped at second in the team hierarchy unless he beats his own teammate mano a mano to win the Tour. I see a 1986 Tour and/or 1995 Giro reprisal on the horizon.