In the 16th stage of the Vuelta a España, won by Jonas Vingegaard, UAE Team Emirates concluded with two of their cyclists in the top five. The surprising second place was clinched by New Zealander Finn Fisher-Black, while the classification leader, Juan Ayuso, finished in fifth. However, in the post-race interview, Ayuso expressed his discontent with the planned racing strategies.
Ayuso was not pleased with UAE Team Emirates’ tactics, as became evident in subsequent discussions with the Vuelta organization. He remarked, “The stage was short but highly intense. The final climb was also extremely challenging. Not necessarily long but very steep. I still need to have a conversation with the team management because I’m not sure what happened tactically… But I’d rather not say too much about it,” leaving his dissatisfaction hanging in the air.
It became apparent in the final kilometers of the 16th stage that Juan Ayuso was losing Sepp Kuss’s wheel, the support he lacked, while Finn Fisher-Black was leading the way to second place. Finn Fisher-Black could have waited for the leader of UAE Team Emirates to provide assistance.
The Spaniard further elaborated, revealing that he felt strong towards the end of the stage. He stated, “It always takes some time to get into the groove right after a rest day. I believe I have good legs. I’m already looking forward to the next stage.” With the next stage, Ayuso is referring to the challenging one scheduled for this Wednesday, culminating at the legendary Altu de L’Angliru. He remarked, “It will be a special day. I presume that the overall classification athletes will also be vying for stage victory. I hope to be able to raise my hands in triumph.”