Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[Cycling111]

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.

5 million per year. The same as Vingegaard?

 

[postmanhat]

Ayuso has had the ideal preparation for the World Championships this year. He didn't do the Tour, he did the Vuelta but didn't do the overall. He was involved in two stages he wanted to win, and he helped in two a little. He dedicated the rest of the stages to training.

Next year he has a big test. He'll be obligated to do the Tour GC, and if he fails, he'll probably have to do the Vuelta, involved in the GC.

We'll see how he recovers from a Tour to prepare for the World Championships.

It will be difficult for him to have another season like this, where he can spend so much time thinking about the World Championships and using a Vuelta to train.

I think he'll realize that all the advantages he's had weren't so bad.At LIDL, there will be days when he'll have to work for teammates like Pedersen; everyone does.And we'll see if he can choose all the races he wants to do. The Tour, yes. He said he wanted to win the Ardennes, but I assume he'll do one-week tours to avoid the aforementioned conflicts, and Skjelmose will do the Ardennes.He'll follow the same schedule he did in the UAE, changing the Giro for the Tour.

Eh? His original schedule was Pologne/One-dayers/Luxembourg, which was ideal for The Worlds, as Healey, Skjelmose and Skujins showed. Vuelta most definitely wasn't, but he got parachuted into it for weird UAE reasons, once Pogacar dropped out. No one who did that race performed well. Ciccone was the best placed in 6th, finishing at the same time as Ayuso, both nearly seven minutes down. Everyone else died in the last 40K.

 

[veganrob]

5 million per year. The same as Vingegaard?

Probably easiest negotiation his agent ever made.

 

[Red Rick]

Eh? His original schedule was Pologne/One-dayers/Luxembourg, which was ideal for The Worlds, as Healey, Skjelmose and Skujins showed. Vuelta most definitely wasn't, but he got parachuted into it for weird UAE reasons, once Pogacar dropped out. No one who did that race performed well. Ciccone was the best placed in 6th, finishing at the same time as Ayuso, both nearly seven minutes down. Everyone else died in the last 40K.

Pidcock was 10th.

 

[Peter von]

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.

Yeah, maybe.
Ayuso won't do much good in a sprint train anyway and I think Ayuso primarily just want to ride for himself and have some support in mountains. And not having to plan out his season by what Pogi doesn't want to do.

I think Lidl usually get a decent balance between a Mads P and Ciccone/Skjelmose in a GT, and suspect it can be the same with Milan and Ayuso.

 

[YavorD]

Pidcock was 10th.

While dying in the las 40 km.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

It seems to me that Juanito wanted to follow Pogacar too much, he wanted to prove something but paid for this effort. As some cyclists said in the past, he got too close to the sun (like Icarus).

 

[Squire]

Just got around to watching the WC RR. Shall we rename this thread 'Juan Ayuso is the new Ben O'Connor'?

 

[Berniece]

Just got around to watching the WC RR. Shall we rename this thread 'Juan Ayuso is the new Ben O'Connor'?

Ben O'Connor actually got a medal though

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

It seems to me that Juanito wanted to follow Pogacar too much, he wanted to prove something but paid for this effort. As some cyclists said in the past, he got too close to the sun (like Icarus).

Yeah true. He popped so hard on the mur after riding so ferociously on the downhill that it was almost cartoonish. But he still got 8th! I honestly think that is a hugely positive sign for him. He had the guts to go for it, he paid the price, he recovered, he dug deep, and he held on for 8th in a brutal race that only 20% of starters finished. He gave a decent interview at the end, too. I’m coming back around to him.

 

[YavorD]

Ben O'Connor actually got a medal though

Because he didn't follow Pogacar though.
Your usual Ben O'Connor would do what Ayuso did.

 

[Rou]

I expect a jump in performance from Ayuso in 2026.
He will not be coached by the bald fraud after all.

 

[HashRouge]

Yeah true. He popped so hard on the mur after riding so ferociously on the downhill that it was almost cartoonish. But he still got 8th! I honestly think that is a hugely positive sign for him. He had the guts to go for it, he paid the price, he recovered, he dug deep, and he held on for 8th in a brutal race that only 20% of starters finished. He gave a decent interview at the end, too. I’m coming back around to him.

I was very impressed with him too. Seems like he really struggled with the cobbles.