Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[Samu Cuenca]

I understand why he's apprehensive about someone with Ayuso's reputation joining, but it's completely out of order to be airing your grievances in the media before you've even met the guy. That's more of a d*ck move than Ayuso himself has ever pulled.

Also, Skjelmose should full well know that he isn't going to be a top-drawer GT rider and that's what Lidl's primary goal with Ayuso will be. For the classics and the one-week races, which should be his focus anyway, not much is changing.

Having listened to the snippet from the interview, he only seems genuinely annoyed with the team not telling him anything. The parts about Ayuso not wanting to work for anyone (which was followed by him saying that it might just have been because UAE treated Ayuso badly) and him not wanting to go to the Tour with Ayuso were said in jest.

When Skjelmose, Ciccone and Geoghegan Hart haven't performed in GTs it obviously makes perfect sense for them to be looking elsewhere, and they probably didn't want to inform anyone before deal was finalised, but if they've given Skjelmose the impression he still had full support he has a reason to be disgruntled now.

 

[noob]

Having listened to the snippet from the interview, he only seems genuinely annoyed with the team not telling him anything. The parts about Ayuso not wanting to work for anyone (which was followed by him saying that it might just have been because UAE treated Ayuso badly) and him not wanting to go to the Tour with Ayuso were said in jest.

This is how I took it too. Imagine the team not telling you anything, and here you are in front of the media before the team has even told you. If you're not pissed by your team at that moment you're a Saint lol.

(And oh the joy of journalists asking him a question to get the quote they want. And whoever edited the page to lift up the quote and take it out of context 🙄 )

 

[SafeBet]

I don't think informing riders of future transfers / contract negotiations is standard procedure for any professional team.
Unless you're a Pogacar level of athlete and can partly dictate the team personnel decisions.

 

[Cycling111]

Is it Gianetti's fault that Bjerg was upset with his selfishness?

Jan Christen know what has to do, and if he ends up leaving the team, he'll say it was all everyone else's fault, except his.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Apparently the buy out is 10M and Trek are paying Ayuso 5M a year (he had to pay the buy out himself).

Trek, overpaying TGH after a potentially career altering injury before seeing him back in action (and post-Froome), doing the same again with Kämna and now this. They are world class at wasting money.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I understand why he's apprehensive about someone with Ayuso's reputation joining, but it's completely out of order to be airing your grievances in the media before you've even met the guy. That's more of a d*ck move than Ayuso himself has ever pulled.

Also, Skjelmose should full well know that he isn't going to be a top-drawer GT rider and that's what Lidl's primary goal with Ayuso will be. For the classics and the one-week races, which should be his focus anyway, not much is changing.

Fully agree, but its classic Skjelmose. Comes across like a total jerk!

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Am I misremembering or did Skjelmose come out a couple years ago and say something to the effect that he has narcissistic personality disorder but is working on it?

 

[noob]

I don't think informing riders of future transfers / contract negotiations is standard procedure for any professional team.
Unless you're a Pogacar level of athlete and can partly dictate the team personnel decisions.

That makes me think teams are really stupid. If the media is informed of new colleagues at the same time as old colleagues are informed they're asking for problems.

That's how to do it if you want old colleagues to quit/make everyone feel precarious.

 

[Netserk]

Fully agree, but its classic Skjelmose. Comes across like a total jerk!

A careless loudmouth who likes to hear his own yap.

Give me Rogla the sphinx any day over that!

 

[Valv.Piti]

A careless loudmouth who likes to hear his own yap.

Give me Rogla the sphinx any day over that!

I agree, and you know damn well Im not a fan. Pathetic comments!

 

[buddy buddy buddy]

i'm a big fan of Skjelmose (Roglic too), he has never 'come off as a jerk' before in interviews but even if he does sometime in the future (the quoted part about Ayuso is just half of what was in the article), that's great too, he's still GREAT

 

[Pantani_lives]

Ayuso says he wouldn't be satisfied with a second place.

Well, I don't think he'll be second, so all looks fine for him.

 

[LongtimeLurker]

Is it Gianetti's fault that Bjerg was upset with his selfishness?

Jan Christen know what has to do, and if he ends up leaving the team, he'll say it was all everyone else's fault, except his.

Both are coached by San Milan, both riders are similar in personality over the years and their approach.

 

[LongtimeLurker]

Ayuso says he wouldn't be satisfied with a second place.

Well, I don't think he'll be second, so all looks fine for him.

Looking his averages I would be thrilled with 2nd if I was Ayuso

 

[Cycling111]

f the World Championships were 150km races, Roglic, Ayuso, and Del Toro would be favorites. They never will be at the Monument distance. Although Roglic did quite well in his peak, he wasn't as dominant as he was in classics like the Emilia but he did well.

Del Toro and Ayuso need to prove they can handle it. Until they do, the doubt remains.

In Ardennes, Skjelmose should be the leader of LIDL. He's better in long one-day races. Ayuso is better for GT, and there are doubts when the stage is too tough. He lacks physical background






.

 

[Red Rick]

Did pretty fine all things considering.

 

[fenns]

Good race today - maybe his best of the year.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Did pretty fine all things considering.

But he didnt come to Kigali for anything other than the gold, so massive disappointment for Team Ayoso today.

 

[Black Betsy]

On the next Lidl advertisement give the young lad some aubergine...

 

[VanBsr]

Lidl seems to have one of the best atmospheres in the peloton, not only among the riders but also within the staff. It’s clear to me that there are both strong one-to-one relationships in the team and also great group dynamics (Milan's train with Consonni, Mads's classics team, Ciccone-Verona, Skjelmose and Alafaci as a soigneur) that work well in different configurations. There are no untouchable “stars” within the team, and even Pedersen, who appears to be the main leader, is actually the one who brings the most joy to the guys around him.

A few weeks ago, I saw Verona replying on Instagram to someone who asked if he would leave the team, saying that he “would not leave this team for anything in the world.” That speaks volumes about the spirit inside the team. With that in mind, and with guys like Verona and Ciccone, who are close to him in culture and style, I hope Ayuso will be able to adapt to this atmosphere and become part of it, because he clearly has huge talent.

I also have a lot of trust in Guarcilena’s vision regarding this move. After many years of working with a smaller budget — where I assume that riders like Tao and Kämna were riskier but more affordable bets to make things fit financially — it now looks like with Lidl he has reached a great balance between budget and rider quality.

 

[tigabara]

Wishing the best for Ayuso. We need fighter to challenge Pogacar. Hoping Ayuso is fighter...

 

[will-10]

He will need to get on with it, Hudson's coming and he will gunning for the Lidl team leader spot.

Won't even be on the big boy team until 2028, I would wager

 

[will-10]

I don't think informing riders of future transfers / contract negotiations is standard procedure for any professional team.
Unless you're a Pogacar level of athlete and can partly dictate the team personnel decisions.

Within some teams it's definitely normal practice. Of course you're mainly talking about leaders but someone like Jonas will know (and have input on) who Visma are looking at signing for him next year long before it's finalised or announced.

 

[Brullnux]

The bigger issue to me is keeping both Milan and Pedersen happy if both want's to go for green+stages at Tour.

I actually agree – it might be best for Ayuso's confidence to be sent to the Giro with a full team behind him, and then both Milan and Pedersen to the Tour.

I think a lot will depend on the route, in fairness. If the Tour has 6+ nailed on sprint stages then Lidl should send Milan there. If it's like this year or fewer, then either Mads or both.

 

[Jan the Man]

I agree re Tour team being split - that also means less pressure than if a team solely built around you.

Milan and 2/3 helpers
Ayuso with 2/3 helpers and Skjelmose or Ciccone with a free role. Less pressure and realistically if all the big guns show up a Top 5 is probably is best hope (difficult to see a podium challenge against the Big 3)- or a couple of stage wins if he is not uber competitive in GC would be a good result.