Although they won the Giro d'Italia as the first of their objectives for Tadej Pogacar's potential double, UAE Team Emirates is aware of their status as favorites for a Tour de France that is undeniably the Emirati team's ultimate aspiration this season. Decisions such as the one just taken with Juan Ayuso in the Criterium du Dauphiné are proof of this, as the Spaniard abandoned the race following yesterday's mass crash. A tough hit for the Spaniard.
The Spanish rider has abandoned the race just before the start of stage 6, which was to be the first high mountain stage and where he could test himself in the true general classification. The decision was announced just a few minutes before the start of a stage where Ayuso, in principle, had been scheduled to start. However, taking into account the injuries of the UAE rider after the accident caused by a massive crash in stage 5, which also led to the suspension of the day, it has been considered that the most prudent thing to do is to withdraw from the Dauphiné.
It's a pity because Juan Ayuso is coming from a great performance in stage-races this season. In Tirreno-Adriatico he was 2nd only behind Jonas Vingegaard. Later, he took the biggest victory of his short career by winning Itzulia Basque Country, and then was 5th in a Tour de Romandie won by compatriot Carlos Rodriguez.
At the Criterium du Dauphiné, Ayuso was 8th overall, 1 minute and 27 seconds behind the yellow jersey. Although finishing the race with a Top 5 was more than attainable, the Spaniard is aware that he will play a crucial role in the Tour de France winning aspirations of Tadej Pogacar, who has become one of the Slovenian's super domestiques to duel against Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel.
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