Juan Ayuso is dealing with back issues as he prepares for the Pyrenean challenge in the Vuelta a España. The UAE Team Emirates cyclist revealed to the Spanish newspaper Marca, after the Zaragoza stage, that he is optimistic about his recovery following the Wednesday crash.
Ayuso’s fall occurred on Wednesday during the neutralization of the stage to La Laguna Negra. Despite that, he managed to keep up with the favorites on the climb and finished in the peloton in Zaragoza. However, he is still experiencing the consequences of the accident.
“The strongest blow was to my back. But even if my back hurts, I still have to pedal with my legs. Let’s see if it hurts less,” he said on Thursday, one day before the mountain stage at Col du Tourmalet.
In the general classification, the Spaniard is in 8th place, 2 minutes and 25 seconds behind the leader Sepp Kuss. According to Ayuso, the Vuelta is now entering a new phase. “From the Time Trial to Valladolid was the first part, and from the Tourmalet onwards, it will be a different race,” he anticipates. “It won’t be easy to beat Kuss. Friday will be a very tactical stage where we’ll have to show our strongest side.”