Juan Ayuso will aim for the Giro d'Italia, the Spaniard confirmed it in recent days after the victory at the Laigueglia Trophy. First there will be the transition from Tirreno-Adriatico, in which last year he had achieved second place behind Jonas Vingegaard. The start of the season of the twenty-two year old climber UAE Team Emirates-XRG it was dazzling: three races played with two victories under his belt.
After a podium finish in his first participation in the 2022 Vuelta, followed by a fourth place the following year, he also made his debut at the Tour de France in 2024. An unfortunate adventure, which ended with his withdrawal due to Covid.
Pink in destiny
The 2025 for Juan Ayuso will have the pink color, symbol of the primacy in Tour of ItalyHe had already won the jersey four years ago at the Giro Under 23, when he wore the Colpack-Ballan jersey and won three of the ten stages. Looking back on the Spaniard's growth path It seems like the right time has come to try to win his first Grand Tour, but will he be able to do it with the same solidity that characterized his junior and under-23 years?
To answer this question we turn directly to Joxean Matxin, which saw Ayuso's talent blossom and then flourish.
«I've known him since he was a student – says Matxin – and I'm convinced he can be a rider capable of winning major stage races. He is a versatile athlete, he can go fast at stopwatch, uphill and in sprint it has an excellent quick startYou saw this last quality at Laigueglia in recent days, the ease with which he won that sprint is a wonderful sign."
Did you work hard over the winter?
We took the right steps to ensure that Juan (Ayuso, ed.) could improve further. He worked much more in the gym, because in modern cycling it's not just about being thin but having the right balance between weight and strength. He has always been at a high level in terms of weight to power ratio., some pieces were missing and this year he added them.
How has he changed since you were a student?
He grew year after year, there wasn't one thing he improved more than others. It was a natural transition and he was good at taking the right steps: Performance, numbers, and professionalism. Ayuso has always had the mindset of a racer, but this has always gone hand in hand with his age. When he was 16 he was one way and now that he is 22 he is another.He knows what it means to be a cyclist, he's always known it.
Has this allowed for continued progression?
We have always been committed so that he could have a margin to work on year after year, this gave us many improvements once we turned professional.
Does he have the solidity to win a Grand Tour?
I have no doubts about it. When he had 20 years at the Vuelta and it was his first year as a professional. Now it's ready, I'm sure of it.
But the scenarios are changing…
The year he reached the podium at the Vuelta he had had Covid but then Roglic's withdrawal left him room for third place. But a rider like Ayuso is capable of doing well anywhere and he showed it.At the start of this season he has won two out of three races. In past years he has won the Tour of the Basque Country, he has arrived according to at the Tirreno and the Tour of Switzerland.
Knowing that he'll be coming to the Giro reminds us of when he dominated it in his first year as an U23. Do you think it's possible to imagine such a strength?
This aspect has also grown with him over the years. In his first year as an under 23 he made his debut among the professionals gaining experience, Then he dominated in his category races. Initially, we thought Axel Merckx's team was the right place for him, but then we chose Colpack. After doing our evaluations, we realized that Ayuso needed to race in Italy.
Why?
As a junior in Spain, he'd start with forty kilometers to go and win alone. He'd never challenged himself in fighting for positions, finding the right space on climbs, and in other tactical aspects. Even in these details, he's improved year after year; I see him more confident and confident in his abilities.
It's time for the final leap...
Absolutely, I think he's ready. In fact, I'm certain of it.
