Juan Ayuso secured third place on the challenging stage of Xorret de Catí during the 8th stage of the Vuelta a España. After the race’s conclusion, he revealed that he wasn’t surprised by the decision of the Jumbo-Visma team to chase down the breakaway group.
“I wasn’t surprised, having riders like Roglic, who can do what he did today and win the stage, I wasn’t surprised that they were pulling,” he told reporters on-site.
“I was very eager for it because it was at home, with a lot of people cheering for me. I had a bit of a tough day, and I didn’t win, but I’m happy to have achieved it.”
The pace set by Remco Evenepoel up to Xorret de Catí didn’t allow for attacks, and only a few cyclists managed to keep up with the tempo. Ayuso was on the verge of getting dropped, but he hung on until the finish, and in the sprint, he secured third place, gaining a six-second time bonus.
Regarding João Almeida’s fall, which posed a threat to the team’s performance in the race, it was stated, “He didn’t get hurt much when he fell, but it’s best not to fall. He also came with us on the last ascent, and that’s good.” UAE Team Emirates maintains its three top riders in the battle for the red jersey, with Marc Soler continuing to deliver an impressive performance.
With Jumbo-Visma now in the lead and Remco Evenepoel chasing the leader, the young cyclist is pleased because the team doesn’t have the responsibility to chase.
“Yes, of course, it’s good for us. They are very strong, and even if they have to chase, they will still be very strong. Let’s see if we can take advantage of something,” he concluded.