Then he needs a team with strategy and tactics beyond comprehension and there is more than one that fits the bill.
Why not? He's a talented young rider, who could potentially do well at the Tour with the right preparation and team support. Sure he's not Pogacar/ Vingegaard level, but neither is anyone else. He could be a good prospect for a podium, I don't see why you wouldn't send him with full team support. Of course, if he does go to Trek, they can take Mads along too and have him go for stages a la WvA for Visma. But we've all seen how willing Mads is to work for his teammates when called for, so I'm sure he'd support Ayuso as and when needed too.
- Apr 13, 2025
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Because in a Tour, if you don't have one of the two favorites, you can't suborditante the entire team to a rider who's going to fight for the top five, third place at most.
And because LIDL has Pedersen and Milan. Pedersen has already been out from the Tour this year. He'll be there next year.
Ayuso should have signed with Ineos or Movistar. Two teams that would have given him seven domestiques. LIDL has other goals. We've seen Ciccone helping Pedersen win stages even though he's fighting for the GC . We'll see how Ayuso fits into a team where everyone helps their teammates in a GT.
- Sep 14, 2009
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Wut?
I think VLAB is happy to be in the lead of the contenders, avoiding trouble, not actually in the jersey, and saving their matches for later in the race (have you seen the profiles for stages 13, 14, 17, and 20?). At this stage, I don't think they care too much that UAE is winning some stages with riders who are not going to win. And I don't think it places them under any pressure right now. Their goals are pretty obvious and with the favorite on their team, they will have egg on their face if they don't win.
- May 29, 2019
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@Ripper
Nah, Visma in my opinion didn't came here just to win the overall, they wanted more stage wins too. In the process they realised it's not all that feasible. As for deeper into the race, for sure they are saying that is their terrain and they will ride conservatively till then and by doing so UAE taking stage wins rather effortlessly. The problem is what if UAE hammers them there, then they completely blew it at this race. Lets not forget pressure started building up at the Tour already, van Aert being the scapegoat, although in the end ended up being more of a mere goat, winning stage. Who would they blame after if they kept formation and UAE takes plethora of stages and after Ayuso makes a pull and Almeida wins. We'll see.
Nah, Visma in my opinion didn't came here just to win the overall, they wanted more stage wins too. In the process they realised it's not all that feasible. As for deeper into the race, for sure they are saying that is their terrain and they will ride conservatively till then and by doing so UAE taking stage wins rather effortlessly. The problem is what if UAE hammers them there, then they completely blew it at this race. Lets not forget pressure started building up at the Tour already, van Aert being the scapegoat, although in the end ended up being more of a mere goat, winning stage. Who would they blame after if they kept formation and UAE takes plethora of stages and after Ayuso makes a pull and Almeida wins. We'll see.
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- May 29, 2019
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Stage 9 should be telling, will Visma go for it and if not will they react is UAE rider, like Ayuso, does go for it. Lets see on how happy mentioned parties really are. In terms of winning the stages and/or not losing any relevant GC time.
What we can say is if Ayuso wins another one then sports media/fandom will get a meltdown, that is a guarantee, as for Visma feelings, officially they will be happy and everything will be going accordingly to the plan!
What we can say is if Ayuso wins another one then sports media/fandom will get a meltdown, that is a guarantee, as for Visma feelings, officially they will be happy and everything will be going accordingly to the plan!
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- Sep 14, 2009
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I think if Juano goes for it, or Vine, then UAE is just fine to torch their doms legs.
I am not sure if the stage profile does it justice, but Stage 9 does not look massively hard. If Almeida shows any weakness at all, then I expect screws will be tightened as much as possible. But Vine and Ayuso? Meh
Having said this, if UAE keeps rocking it in stages, then it is likely that there will be day where their collective team strength is less, so that would not be so good for them.
- Sep 14, 2009
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I think you might be creating a narrative here? This is not the Tour. I mean, even Ben O'Connor is talking about the racing being fairly straightforward. I think VLAB has been fine with the composition of the breaks. And they already have a stage win. They are most likely only annoyed that they have lost a rider due to a crash (I had forgotten about that)
Could they do a Rabofail? Well of course they could.
- May 29, 2019
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@Ripper
As you say the climbs so far are not that hard and Visma eased off, torching of legs of doms hence likely less of an issue and GC favourites mostly finishing in a group. As for when you say Visma has been fine with the composition of the breaks, by Visma you mean Jonas or his aligned doms all while keeping formation? Now that can equally be torching. We'll see.
P.S. Maybe Ayuso is signing for Visma and the team is already riding for him.
As you say the climbs so far are not that hard and Visma eased off, torching of legs of doms hence likely less of an issue and GC favourites mostly finishing in a group. As for when you say Visma has been fine with the composition of the breaks, by Visma you mean Jonas or his aligned doms all while keeping formation? Now that can equally be torching. We'll see.
P.S. Maybe Ayuso is signing for Visma and the team is already riding for him.
- Aug 13, 2011
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If Visma wants to win stages then they should ride for the win. Simple as that.
Whole team means you have 7 support riders only helping the leader with no ambitions to do anything else. This does not fly in todays cycling and only the best like Pogarcar or Vingegaard come close to this scenario.
- May 29, 2019
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They tried and after decided to rather ease off and focus on GC, likely they realised they underestimated it a bit and turned out not as straightforward as they imagined. For example Pogi would likely now be around 5 stage wins. Anyway, if you are not Jonas good luck with breaking the Danish aligned formation. Although Kuss said he still nurtures GC Kuss, so it should be interesting, on where Visma team members decide enough is enough no more torching!
- May 29, 2019
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Pogi yes, as he would likely have 2 more stage wins by now, then his whole team has ATM, Jonas, well that was at least the initial plan ... Now what, to keep the formation until GC battle starts to unfold, or not.
Did you watch the Tour?
Redbull, Soudal, Decathlon and Arkea had close to a full team supporting their leaders. Even Ineos had plenty of support riders.
Lets not kid ourselves. What UAE is doing means they are more focused on stage wins and let Almeida fend for himself in the wild. This is atrocious.
- Apr 13, 2025
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Well done Ayuso. Next week, yo will win two more stages against Raul Garcia and two mid-level riders from Lotto and Soudal.
Victories that give him world-class status. Because helping his team and being useful against Vingegaard isn't for him. But he wants to be treated like a top3 rider
If we were in the 90s, tomorrow he'd be kicked out of the race, claiming he's sick.
This attitude is shameful. They're going to keep him because of this obsession with the winning record, so he can win in other low-level breakaways. But he shouldn't continue.
Victories that give him world-class status. Because helping his team and being useful against Vingegaard isn't for him. But he wants to be treated like a top3 rider
If we were in the 90s, tomorrow he'd be kicked out of the race, claiming he's sick.
This attitude is shameful. They're going to keep him because of this obsession with the winning record, so he can win in other low-level breakaways. But he shouldn't continue.
- Apr 16, 2009
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Trek is getting a great teammate. Really someone that you need for the bond of the team.
- Jul 7, 2013
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I think he could have helped Almeida in the first part of the climb but oh well...he dropped before the sprinters. His reputation (which I still doubted early last year) is reinforced.
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- May 16, 2015
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Hard to know why anyone would want him but the "next big thing" gloss takes a long time to wear-off
- Sep 17, 2020
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He most the most unlikeable rider in the peleton. Personally I can’t stand him. I hope UAE takes him out of the race. I don’t get why he is here at the first place
I don't see what the big fuss is about. GC outcome is likely going to be the same for Almeida with or without Ayuso's help and this way the team gets a chance to win many stages. If the team really believed Almeida could win they would surely be able to put Ayuso in his place and make him work for the leader.
- Jun 30, 2022
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No way, exactly the opposite, it's all about team management, check the schedule, Pogacar missing 2 or 3 grand tours guy is not 27 and is already sending serious, serious warning signs..
Gets all schoolgirl when he is up, confident to confirm Vuelta, only to flip flop after getting a real race work out at TDF.
There is plenty of room in the schedule for multiple riders at UAE, can't have improv over and over and over..Del Toro can be a leader, just not by accident because of bad days and a bee sting.. Almeida can get exposure if he doesn't fall off and out of TDF, Ayuso can lead if he does specific work for Giro, Vuelta, TDF but he can't get late call while he is prepping for Africa because Tadej changes his mind. UAE's plan can't be to act like a fire department every time Pogacar changes his mind, everyone scrambling to cover new schedule.
Ayuso can go to another team and try to narrow the schedule, consolidate resources and go all in for TDF..Let's see what Bora does? Remco unlikely favorite for TDF, Roglic unlikely favorite for TDF.. Lipowitz unlikely favorite for TDF..but if Bora wants to target TDF, they can't delute the talent pool. Anywhere Ayuso goes if team is not all in for him, everything about him, 24\7 he will be in same situation as now. If you are top tier at UAE, @22 years old, I would listen to Pogacar's warnings, guy sounds like he wants to focus more, race less, sounds like more opportunities for underlings..
- Aug 3, 2015
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It is hard not to sort of like him, just doesn't care at all. A sort of egocentric nihilist. Wonderful
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