SIENA – Juan Ayuso He doesn't stop after the finish. He just keeps going and rides away. He'll never use his time trial bike, which was waiting for him to cool down behind the stage, perhaps because he was already anticipating the pink jersey. The pink jersey ended up on the shoulders of his teammate, Isaac Del Toro, who is now the new leader of the Tour of Italy right in front of him.
If yesterday we witnessed the great return of Wout van aert, it is also true that we need to talk about the Mexican and the tactics of the UAE EmiratesThere is no doubt that there was at least some misunderstanding. Whether it was more or less involuntary will be seen as the process progresses. But it is a fact that while One in front was breaking away, the other behind was pulling. And the subjects in question were wearing the same jersey.
A historic rose
However, we must proceed in order and pay homage to the new pink jersey, precisely Del Toro. A far from ordinary pink jersey. This, folks, is a champion with a capital C. He won the First Prize in the To come upHe's shown tremendous climbing ability. He's fast in time trials and handles the bike well. And above all, he was born in 2003!
«Wearing this shirt is something incredible – he says Del Toro – You dream about the pink jersey as a kid when you start cycling. I never would have believed it."
Isaac appears dazed. The persistent questions about his team's tactics leave him confused. It seems like a joy with the handbrake on. Like someone who knows they've screwed up badly? To answer this question, you'd have to be a fly in the ointment. UAE last night.
And now what changes for Del Toro , UAEIt's normal to ask yourself certain questions. "Me, a leader? No," he denies. Del Toro - The captains are Adam Yates and Ayuso. I'm fine, but they're stronger. I took advantage of a racing situation. I was in front when I crashed and didn't realize it. When I found myself in front, At first I thought the one in the white jersey was Ayuso, but it was Bernal. And in fact, I didn't shoot again. Then the team told me to stay there, precisely because Bernal could be dangerous, and I continued. It was too risky to stop. I also knew that there were teammates behind me."
«I am ready to help the captains – he repeats Del Toro – I have a lot of respect for them. For now, I'm up front, but they're better. But I can't stop or not have faith in myself either. I want to believe in myself, because I'm the only one who can. If I don't do it, who will?
Contradictory tactics
The team may have also told him to stay there, and that's fine, given that behind Ayuso there was also Arrieta (for a while), McNulty e Adam Yates. Except that the Spaniard continued to work his butt off, and for long stretches the Mexican in front accelerated hard. He was making the selection.
Then suddenly he stopped shooting, but Ayuso continued to push forward and didn't always find the support of his teammates: some dropped away, some remained at the back (see Yates), some were clearly injured but didn't give up (see McNulty).
They went in fits and starts. Sometimes Ayuso pushed. Sometimes McNulty. And only at the end did Yates timidly appear. In short, the UAE Emirates He dominated, but he didn't run perfectly as often happens.
And then a sentence of Del Toro It got us thinking. At the press conference, he was asked what he and Van Aert had said when they were down to two men. He had attacked, and the Belgian had followed.
«A Wout – explains Del Toro - I asked to shoot, but he told me he couldn't because he had his leader, Simon Yates, behind him."The question is legitimate: so why did you shoot? Didn't you have your leaders, or rather, your leaders, behind you? A real puzzle. We'll have to see what the team was saying.
More Isaac than Juan?
And then there are the scenes, the live movements to evaluate. What you observe on race days in the bus area, in the village, after the finish… When Del Toro He arrived and celebrated, but without overdoing it. It's also understandable that he was tired and, being the champion he is, disappointed at having missed the stage.
But then you see McNulty smiling for the pink jersey. Adam Yates almost euphoric. And Ayuso, precisely, who isn't there.
And here immediately the murmurings among journalists and insiders. With the mind going back to the Galibie caser at the last Tour de France, when Ayuso didn't shoot properly for Pogacar and Almeida and Yates weren't happy about it.
Yesterday, before the start, Ayuso was sitting on the bus talking to his girlfriend. It wasn't a big deal, just speculation, but why wasn't he on the bus with the others? Ayuso is ambitious. He's strong, he's a cannibal when he can, and He can still make this Giro his own. But he must somehow catch up with his teammate or sit on the river bank and wait. that something happens.
Two tips
Serene was also Filippo BaronsWe exchanged just a quick word with “The Baro.” “A beautiful day for us. Now we have two ahead of us. I'm happy for Isaac.». Baroncini was one of the freshest upon arrival and the reason is easy to explain.
"I found myself in the group with Roglic and obviously I never shot. My job was to stay there, see what was happening, and report his movements to the team."
Matxin, manager and technician of the UAE, expert as he is, takes advantage of the situation to his advantage. «Now we have two in front of us, it will be more difficult for the others to attack us. There's no problem. Isaac found himself in front and it was right that he continued to be there", are the words he told Rai.
Not everyone took this way of running well. Even the Spanish press is wondering whether Ayuso has an enemy at home. As always, the road will decide, and the road suggests we'll see even more exciting things tomorrow. The Pisa time trial will be a no-holds-barred affair.
«It will be difficult for me – he concluded Del Toro "Juan is better at time trials than me. And besides, it will be the longest time trial I've ever done."
