Juan Ayuso finishes the Vuelta in 4th place. The Spanish rider from UAE Team Emirates was the cyclist who came closest to challenging Jumbo-Visma’s dominant performance, even though he didn’t win any stages throughout the competition. “Still, I can be satisfied,” reflects Ayuso, who celebrates his 21st birthday today.
Ayuso shared his thoughts with the Vuelta website about the stage and the Vuelta a España 2023:
“When I saw the big breakaway go away (31 riders were in the initial break), I immediately knew we wouldn’t see them again. I had two teammates with me who could contend for the stage. But still, and this might be a bit selfish, I thought it was a shame because I also wanted to try something today. It is what it is, but now I definitely have to come back next year.”
Specifically, the battle for the position of the top Spanish rider in the rankings was still in play today, as both Enric Mas and Mikel Landa tried to challenge Ayuso. “I managed to react well to their attacks. Furthermore, I felt good throughout the Vuelta.”
“Last year, I was able to wear the white jersey, but the jersey was never really mine (because Remco Evenepoel ended up winning both the General Classification and the Best Young Rider Classification). Now I’m happy to be able to celebrate in white tomorrow in Madrid. Okay, I didn’t finish on the podium or win a stage, so you could say I didn’t achieve my goals. But overall, it was a good Vuelta, and I still won the white jersey.”
