The Spanish cyclist UAE Juan Ayuso was assured this Monday that he prefers “the mentality to win La Vuelta before trying the Tour de France”after confirming that the Spanish will be the only Grand Tour to run next year in 2023.
In questions from EFE, Ayuso (Barcelona, 2002) affirms that the balance of 2022 is positive despite the fact that constant illnesses have burdened him and affirms that if he had not contracted covid during the La Vuelta -he continued to compete despite this and finished third- , could have finished “closer” to Evenepoel and Enric Mas, the first two, although “realistically”, he did not think he could win it.
The cyclist, who has just turned 20, explained that it is “a reasonable step” to repeat La Vuelta in the coming season with the aim of winning it and, in principle, he sees himself running the Tour in 2024 and trying to put in the yellow jersey 2025, although he emphasizes that it is “talking for talking” and, for now, “he is not at the level of winning” the French race.
To continue improving race by race, Ayuso highlights the mental study of La Vuelta, the reality of “training to start a stage with sore legs” and the hardness of the third week, where he said he was fine himself, but underlined the need for it.
Regarding this 2022, where in addition to the podium at La Vuelta he achieved his first professional victory, the Getxo Circuit, is making a positive balance despite “many ups and downs” especially due to illnesses , with fever, stomach problems and covid .
“I was recovering and when I got back to 100% it was different for meso I had to manage it on a mental level, because there were races I didn’t even finish and seeing you in the distance was very difficult”, pointed out the cyclist born in Barcelona but based in Xàbia (Alicante).
Go to Tour and calendar for 2023
He commented that the Tour was “the race”, although he cautioned that it was the “most logical” way to follow his progress: “It doesn’t hurt me to wait a year when I go -on Tour-, have confidence that I can achieve something”.
He emphasized that when running the gala race, he wants to “have guarantees that I can achieve it”, while focusing on the experience, key to not repeating the mistakes of the past, like the one that led him to not win a stage at the Tour of Romandia for stopping and looking back after sprinting with 350 meters to go, which benefited Colombian Higuita, who was victorious.
So, while he insists that he needs to improve physically, he says that his intention is to return to running the Amstel Gold and Fleche Wallonne, races, both of which he did not finish due to physical problems. However, it will be after the start of the season that he will take part in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Volta a Catalunya.
Understand that this is normal for cycling fans “squeeze” him when told that the one from Xàbia (Alicante) could be the new Spanish benchmark, although he maintains that it is not pressure but motivation: “It is something that motivates and inspires me,” said Ayuso , aware that “it is not normal to finish third at 19 years old and on the debut of a Grand Tour”.
When asked if he already sees himself as the benchmark for Spanish cycling, he pointed out that, whether he is or not, he hopes that this season “is the first one where he goes to the races and can start to add victories” and that “if, while I win, Carlos -referring to Carlos Rodríguez- wins on the other side of the world”, he will be happy.
A more complete cycling
Ayuso affirms that “A cyclist must be complete today” and that, for this reason, “he can try to win La Vuelta, but also the Amstel Gold, which despite not being the opposite of the pole, is something different from a three-week race.”
Also, he stressed that he should run on pavé, because “when he tours, he can play, and if I haven’t run it before, I can suffer a lot”.
“These types of races – the pavés – are not to be won, but rather to be able to face the future without fear”, directed one from Xàbia, highlighting the figure of Pogacar, his colleague, because “if he has achieved what I want to achieve, it is normal to look at him”.
He was surprised, he said, by “his calmness” and that he was “another partner to play Play with”, while maintaining that every time he practices with him, he improves.
Regarding the presence of two possible stars in the same team, with him and Pogacar, Ayuso assured that “you can live with that and at the moment it benefits more than anything else”, citing the examples of Roglic and Vingegaard at Jumbo Visma.
Finally, he admits that he was shocked to learn that he was positive for covid at La Vuelta, especially because “the worst has already happened” and he acknowledges that if he had tested positive two days before, when he got worse and negative, he would have withdrawn, although he eventually continued and finished third in his first Grand Tour.
Source: La Verdad
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