Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[perico]

Why can't Ayuso/Pog co lead vs Vingegaard/Roglic if it comes to that?

Vingegaard/Roglic is more of a mentor deal. Roglic is still capable of winning the Tour no doubt, but he probably recognizes that he’ll be 34 years old sooner rather than later and there is 8-9 years of an age gap between him and Jonas; even with his late start, Primoz isn’t going to improve anymore. Maybe he can hold his peak ala Thomas.

Pogacar, on the other hand, is at an age where he may still have room to improve, though I suspect this younger generation will peak early and start their decline earlier like they did in the 1980s and prior. Either way, he still has another 7-8 years at the top level and a guy with his palmarés isn’t likely to see his leadership usurped, even if it’s by a super talent like Ayuso.

Poor Almeida…

 

[perico]

Also a significantly more mountainous route. Last year had a whopping one HC climb and nothing remotely resembling a queen stage. This year we have two proper mountain stages in a row with Tourmalet after Aubisque and Spandelles on one day and Hourcère and Larrau on the next, and the final week isn't easy either with Angliru and double Cruz de Linares. And it isn't compensated by more TT either. Last year, Evenepoel was dealt a favourable hand, this year the deck is stacked against him if anything. He will definitely be up there with last year's form but as good as he was then, I could see him needing to be a little bit better than that now. It's set up to be a great Vuelta, more hyped than I am for the Tour tbh.

God I love La Vuelta. Long live the goat tracks

 

[Offline]

This kid need to be more consistent.
In 1 week he both won a TT over Remco and lost a TT to Lluis Mas!

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

Rides like today is worrying...yes, he is young but be abit consistent. I want him to do well but hope is minimum. As someone who always support South european riders, i have been burnt too many times by them riders.

 

[Red Rick]

I was like wtf happened but oh national ITT.

This is no big deal. Clearly hes better in hilly ITTs than flat ones, plus I believe there is a tendency of TdS riders to underperform in national ITTs

In summary, confirmed overrated

 

[ice&fire]

He hit a pothole, dropped his chain and had to change bike.

Así fue la reacción de Castroviejo al enterarse por MARCA de que era campeón de España

Jonathan Castroviejo se llevó con autoridad la victoria en el Campeonato de España de contrarreloj. El vasco, que últimamente había 'abandonado' un poco la disciplina, volvió por s

www.marca.com

 

[Ricco']

It was a 52kph ITT, way faster than the ITTs he's won in Suisse and Romandie. Distance and average speed-wise, is on par with the ITT done at last year's Vuelta.

 

[tobydawq]

He hit a pothole, dropped his chain and had to change bike.

Así fue la reacción de Castroviejo al enterarse por MARCA de que era campeón de España

Jonathan Castroviejo se llevó con autoridad la victoria en el Campeonato de España de contrarreloj. El vasco, que últimamente había 'abandonado' un poco la disciplina, volvió por s

www.marca.com

Well, so did Roglic, yet he managed to win the Giro - a much bigger race than the Spanish nats. What a poor rider Ayuso proves to be.

 

[balac]

Ayuso said in an interview to MARCA that he was supposed to do only San Sebastian and Getxo before Vuelta, but they want to add some more race days. (maybe Burgos?).

He expects to be in the 2024 tdf.

 

[Rob5091]

Ayuso said in an interview to MARCA that he was supposed to do only San Sebastian and Getxo before Vuelta, but they want to add some more race days. (maybe Burgos?).

He expects to be in the 2024 tdf.

So does he think he'll be Pog's domestique or as team leader? Either way he's told UAE management what he wants.

 

[carolina]

Well... Almeida also said he wants to be in tdf 2024

Giro - Vuelta double for Pogacar next year?

 

[Bushman]

So does he think he'll be Pog's domestique or as team leader? Either way he's told UAE management what he wants.

IF Vingegaards ends up winning the Tour over Pogacar again this year, it would make good sense for UAE to send both Pogacar and Ayuso next year.

 

[staubsauger]

If Ayuso wins the 2023 Vuelta a Espana he just goes to the 2024 Tour de France as super-domestique and tries to dupe & outflank Pogacar!

 

[balac]

Doesn't talk like someone who expects to be domestiquing for anyone anytime soon. Also talks about how much better he is on ITT at the end of stage races compared to the initial ones.
https://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2023/06/23/6495474e22601d6a2b8b45cf.html

 

[Red Rick]

Doesn't talk like someone who expects to be domestiquing for anyone anytime soon. Also talks about how much better he is on ITT at the end of stage races compared to the initial ones.
https://www.marca.com/ciclismo/2023/06/23/6495474e22601d6a2b8b45cf.html

Sounds like he likes to make excuses. Unironically his results simply indicate he's much better at hilly ITTs than flat ones.

 

[Didinho]

So he would've won yesterday without the bike change if he finished only 8sec behind.

 

[Rob5091]

Look forward to seeing Ayuso against Remco at San Sebastian - a warm up for the Vuelta.

 

[balac]

Shame that Ayuso couldn't win in Ordizia due to the crash, but was super impressed with Lazkano there. Juan attacked like 4 or 5 times (and Healy and Hirschi dropped easily) and he only dropped the last 500 metres. It was a 2.8km at 7.7% climb but still. One thing that Ayuso still lacks is that top end acceleration when attacking.

Let's see what he can do tomorrow.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Shame that Ayuso couldn't win in Ordizia due to the crash, but was super impressed with Lazkano there. Juan attacked like 4 or 5 times (and Healy and Hirschi dropped easily) and he only dropped the last 500 metres. It was a 2.8km at 7.7% climb but still. One thing that Ayuso still lacks is that top end acceleration when attacking.

Let's see what he can do tomorrow.

He never had the top end acceleration, he was always more of a diesel who just grinded people down with his tempo after the initial short acceleration.

 

[Valv.Piti]

About expected today I think, he really seems to suffer in these kind of races against top competition. He should do a lot better tomorrow, but everything is about that race in Spain in a month.

 

[Red Rick]

Makes no sense to race all these spanish 1 days instead of Burgos if you're not expecting a result tbh.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Makes no sense to race all these spanish 1 days instead of Burgos if you're not expecting a result tbh.

Burgos is at a very different spot than usual, so I definitely think it does.

 

[Salvarani]

Makes no sense to race all these spanish 1 days instead of Burgos if you're not expecting a result tbh.

Pretty much the same program as last season. It went okay then... and he is arguably better now considering he finished 2nd in Tour du Suisse, where he won two stages.

3rd and 11th are not exactly bad results, either. Better results than last year so far in the first two of these races. Third still to go, where he won last year.

I trust they know what they are doing.

 

[Red Rick]

Burgos is at a very different spot than usual, so I definitely think it does.

You're right.

Bit of a dead spot on the calendar, Poland isn't exactly an enticing prep race

 

[Mayomaniac]

You're right.

Bit of a dead spot on the calendar, Poland isn't exactly an enticing prep race

That makes not moving the Österreich Rundfahrt to the same spot as the Tour de Polandball even more of a mistake.