Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[Offline]

Is there room for Pogacar and Ayuso at UAE? I think next year we'll find out.

Forsure there is. Ayuso is 20 he can ride the Vuelta or Giro few more years. And I don't think Pogacar wants to ride the Tour over and over every year.

But good position UAE is in. The have the best rider in world and the biggest talent.

I think Ayuso goes to the Giro next year. We won the U23, he want to win the real version too.

Btw crazy to think about Staune-Mittet is 9 months older than Ayuso!!!

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

He might have finished 3rd in his first GT in a weak La vuelta....i do not rate him highly against other gc riders. Some seems to think he is the 2nd Contador. I would be very happy to be proven wrong though.

 

[Nick2413]

I think the Pogacar and Ayuso quandary will work itself out on its own for the most part. There will be situations that arise, illness/injury/bad luck as well as Giro-Tour or Giro/Vuelta double attempts, and co-leader race dynamics that give them both room to do their thing. If Ayuso really does become a world beater maybe another team will try to buy one of them out but not sure how easy that is.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

He might have finished 2nd in his first GT in a weak La vuelta....i do not rate him highly against other gc riders. Some seems to think he is the 2nd Contador. I would be very happy to be proven wrong though.

He might also not have finished 2nd in his first GT. Still, there aren‘t a lot of riders who can claim his results at age 20. I don‘t think he has the consistency to win the Vuelta this year, but his peak performances are matched by few in both the Time trial and the mountains. He looks like he could be a Grand Tour candidate as soon as next year.

 

[Rob5091]

The way Ayuso rode in the Tour de Suisse, I'd bet next month's rent money on Sir Jim looking him up. Dropping everyone on a climb, then wining a TT, I bet Sir Dave was salivating in his caravan in Nice.

 

[proffate]

ayuso/pogacar can just alternate GTs.

Tour 23 - pog
Vuelta 23 - ayuso
Giro 24 - pog
Tour 24 - ayuso
Vuelta 24 - pog

etc.

Put a bag over their faces and we might forget who we're watching.

More realistically, why not bring them both to the tour rather than leaving one leader isolated against the JV horde?

 

[Red Rick]

The way Ayuso rode in the Tour de Suisse, I'd bet next month's rent money on Sir Jim looking him up. Dropping everyone on a climb, then wining a TT, I bet Sir Dave was salivating in his caravan in Nice.

Ayuso IIRC has the longest contract in cycling, he's not getting bought out.

Meanwhile I think speculation about clashing with Pog over leadership way premature.

 

[Nick2413]

Ayuso IIRC has the longest contract in cycling, he's not getting bought out.

Meanwhile I think speculation about clashing with Pog over leadership way premature.

If he wins Vuelta this year how is next year handled?

Pog will be the primary leader until Ayuso beats him in TdF but I think now is when the team has to start making decisions about how to handle things.

 

[OlavEH]

Great last half of TdS by Ayuso. The climb over Albulapass was a really convincing climbing effort.

I must say I look forward to the Vuelta this year. Ayuso vs Roglic, Thomas and Mas sounds great. Hope that both the spaniards will enter in top shape and challenge Roglic by aggressive racing. The Vuelta is also a lot better balanced than the Giro in terms of distribution of the important GC stages.

 

[Salvarani]

High quality field? For GC?

This is probably the weakest of the WT big 1 week fields together with Romandie

I will have you know that the new Merckx was there and finished third. He was the favorite and in the lead when he abandoned the Giro. He is part of the big 6.

Gotta count for something, aye?

Lets also not forget oldies but goldies like Bardet and Uran. Mixed with the likes of new Belgian sensation Cian Uijtdebroeks, Austrian phenomenon Felix Gall and of course the Evil Knievel of the cycling world Wilco Kelderman.

Race won by the new Danish sharknado that is Skjelmose. Fisherman will have his work cut out for him in the Tour!

An entertaining bunch to say the least.

 

[saunaking]

If he wins Vuelta this year how is next year handled?

Pog will be the primary leader until Ayuso beats him in TdF but I think now is when the team has to start making decisions about how to handle things.

If Pog wins the tour, he gets his say. If he doesn't I bet they both go

 

[Red Rick]

If he wins Vuelta this year how is next year handled?

Pog will be the primary leader until Ayuso beats him in TdF but I think now is when the team has to start making decisions about how to handle things.

Why would winning the Vuelta move him on par with the double TdF winner?

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

Why would winning the Vuelta move him on par with the double TdF winner?

Because he is the 2nd coming of velasco contador 😃😄😋😅

 

[Salvarani]

If he wins Vuelta this year how is next year handled?

Pog will be the primary leader until Ayuso beats him in TdF but I think now is when the team has to start making decisions about how to handle things.

Ayuso gets a go at the Tour, if Pog wants to win the Giro.

Maybe they will even go together, if Vingegaard is super this year as well.

 

[Nick2413]

Why would winning the Vuelta move him on par with the double TdF winner?

Why wouldn’t it at least open a conversation about another big gun on the same team being in the mix at the Tour? They can do co leaders with emphasis on Pog but they could easily be neck and neck 2 weeks into a Tour. With the trajectory he’s on nothing would surprise me.

 

[Rob5091]

Ayuso IIRC has the longest contract in cycling, he's not getting bought out.

Meanwhile I think speculation about clashing with Pog over leadership way premature.

I did say next year the problem will rear it's head (even more so if Pogacar wins the Tour & Ayuso does well at the Vuelta, I'd guess). If Ineos have a poor Tour - which seems likely - what will Sir Jim do? Ring Remco's dad again?

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Well, how about: Ayuso becomes super domestique for Primoz at Jumbo, Vingegaard becomes co-leader at UAE next to Pogacar. Then we have:

Jumbo (Roglic, Ayuso)
vs
UAE (Pogacar, Vingegaard)
vs
Remco
vs
Bernal…

 

[Netserk]

Why would winning the Vuelta move him on par with the double TdF winner?

Is this about Rogla and Vingegaard?

 

[Colonel]

The way Ayuso rode in the Tour de Suisse, I'd bet next month's rent money on Sir Jim looking him up. Dropping everyone on a climb, then wining a TT, I bet Sir Dave was salivating in his caravan in Nice.

Offer was made around July last year, it was blocked.

 

[Rob5091]

Offer was made around July last year, it was blocked.

A new offer (with maybe a season ticket in the VIP box at Old Trafford thrown in, for good measure) will quite probably be made in the near future.

 

[Berniece]

It's ridiculous to think Ayuso is anywhere near the level of Pogacar. Where did he show this exactly?

 

[Cookster15]

It's ridiculous to think Ayuso is anywhere near the level of Pogacar. Where did he show this exactly?

Not sure about Pogacar level but the fuss is over this ....... but I am not sure it is accurate?

Juan Ayuso smashed times of Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich in his victory at the Tour de Suisse

Juan Ayuso has had a very complicated start to 2023 due to tendonitis from which he took a long time to recover, but since he returned in the last Tour de Romandie he has only been improving. So much...

cyclinguptodate.com

During the ascent to the Albula Pass, Juan Ayuso demonstrated spectacular power. In the last 4.5 kilometres, with an average slope greater than 7%, he developed an average of 400 watts, needing only 10 minutes and 49 seconds and reaching an average speed of 24.7 km/h

 

[Berniece]

The reaction is understandable?

Not really. I mean those figures are amazing, and I was really impressed with him in the Vuelta last year as well as his TT skills this year. But I think it’s a bit far fetched to say Pogacar should share leadership with him during the biggest race of the season.

I’m looking forward to the Vuelta this year. If he destroys the competition I’ll rethink my opinion.

 

[Cookster15]

Not really. I mean those figures are amazing, and I was really impressed with him in the Vuelta last year as well as his TT skills this year. But I think it’s a bit far fetched to say Pogacar should share leadership with him during the biggest race of the season.

I’m looking forward to the Vuelta this year. If he destroys the competition I’ll rethink my opinion.

I agree. I also just edited my comment. I think the article isn't accurate anyway, plus wind assisted etc. Its discussed in the Clinic.

 

[Rob5091]

If Ayuso does well against Roglic at the Vuelta then next year will be very interesting!