LAIGUEGLIA – Liguria in this month of March is the hunting ground of the riders of the UAE Team Emirates who start the Italian racing season off to a great start. Juan Ayuso He won the Laigueglia Trophy and proved to be one of the key players in the Emirati team's future.In a few weeks it will be the turn of Tadej pogacar trying to make the Ligurian Riviera his own with the goal of the Milan-Sanremo. For the Spaniard, who grew up under the sign of Alberto counter, the second success in the three races contested so far has arrived.
“One of my goals for the season,” Ayuso says, his voice muffled by those masks we’d almost forgotten about, “was to start strong. I've been feeling good since the beginning of the year and this gives me a lot of morale.I've come to race here in Laigueglia three times, and after a second and third place in previous years, I finally won. The team worked all day and won a race that was difficult due to its toughness and unpredictability. Having already achieved two successes allows me to look with confidence towards the next objectives which are the Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of Italy.
Scaroni's gaze
In the warm air of Laigueglia, a stone's throw from the sea that hides shyly behind the houses, what remains is the idea of having witnessed a beautiful duel between Ayuso and ScaroniThe Brescian started off as best he could have imagined in 2025. Precisely in the year in which the XDS Astana he needed to find a point of reference “Scaro” he answered presently picking up the scepterThe pedal strikes between the two contenders for victory were like fencing thrusts, rapid and painful, but neither left a mark. The Spaniard who comes from Barcelona won in a sprint that did not allow for replies.
“I tried to respond to Ayuso’s attacks,” Scaroni said under the podium, “and then to pull away on a few occasions. I knew I was the slowest and when the sprint started it left us stuck at the postIt's a shame because my legs are working well. We needed another win, but sometimes you have to settle."
A great start to the season, morale already sky-high?
It's definitely tall. The team is doing well and we are all riding the wave of this newfound enthusiasmToday we rode well again. My job was to stay on Ayuso's wheel, to be his shadow. I knew it would attack and so it did., now let's see for the Strade Bianche on Saturday, the strength is there.
Two victories, as in the cursed year of Gazprom case...
They are very different victories, those at the Adriatica Ionica Race were of anger and maliceI wanted to prove I deserved a place among the greats, now I'm in there, the goal is to make people understand that I'm there too.
How were the last two seasons?
Mentally these two victories came at an important momentI've taken a weight off my shoulders because in the past years I was obsessively seeking success., many times I moved badly. Even at the beginning of this season, I sometimes mistimed things. Winning allowed me to find the serenity that I had been missing and I know what to do in the race., I can be lucid.
Going back to those two victories that had opened up your horizons the gates of Astana Do you feel like you've found that motivation again?
That one is not mine never missed. Compared to the victories at the Adriatica Ionica I have changed my program and working methodIn those races there weren't champions as strong as today: Storer, Powless, Ayuso. Being able to challenge these riders makes me realize that I have added a piece to my status as a rider.My career has been a series of empty spaces: Covid, then the case Gazprom...
Have you found the consistency you were looking for in these two years with Astana?
It's the year of maturation and let's try to continue like this. Last year I had many teams looking for meHowever, I knew that by staying here I would have a role as captain, as a leader, and this would be beneficial to my growth. If I had chosen to leave I would have taken on the role of a gregarious and that's not what I wanted for the rest of my career.
You are the best rider in terms of points collected in the team.
We're off to a great start. The plan was designed to start strong and score plenty of points right from the start. The team has an obligation to try to maintain the WorldTour licenseI knew that I usually perform at my best in the first few months of the year, and we changed our schedules to maximize this. This year I'm leaning more towards one-day racesI think it was the winning card that allowed me to make that qualitative leap that I was missing.
After Laigueglia?
After Strade Bianche, Milan-Turin, and Coppi e Bartali, I'll take a break to prepare for the Giro. This condition can't last forever.
