"All this will make him stronger": Teammate doesn't see Juan Ayuso's crash at Paris-Nice as a major setback

The 2026 season carries special weight for Carlos Verona. The Madrid native will be a key piece at Lidl-Trek, especially in support of Juan Ayuso in a year where the goal is to fight for the Tour de France podium. His experience and adaptability have made him a pivotal rider within a structure aiming to cement its place among the peloton’s elite.

Verona returns to the Volta a Catalunya with positive sensations after his first races of the year. "I’m really up for it, to be honest. I came off a good training block at home; I did the Algarve and then raced Milano-Torino this week. It’s a special race for me: it’s my 13th participation, I haven’t missed it since 2013 when I debuted in the WorldTour, so it’s always special to be here," he said in an interview with MARCA.

The Spaniard expects the Catalan race to be one of the calendar’s sternest tests. "Among the one-week stage races, it’s probably the toughest of the year given the design. It’s beautiful, especially the last four stages: the sequence from Vallter, the Col de Pal, the Berga stage, and the finish on the Montjuïc circuit, which to me is a real trap and probably the most demanding stage. It’s going to be a great, hard-fought race. Freshness will be key. Those coming from Tirreno-Adriatico or Paris-Nice may suffer more because the finale is so condensed. In any case, whoever wins will be one of the big names in the peloton."

Within the Lidl-Trek block, Verona acknowledges the team brings several strong cards. "On paper we have a very solid team, with riders like Skjelmose, Derek Gee and Ciccone. We’ve got three of our best five riders, so there won’t be much room to improvise. Even so, it’s a race and opportunities can appear. We probably don’t have the outright favourite for the GC, with Vingegaard here, so we might have to play our cards from afar. If a chance opens up, I won’t hesitate to take it because my condition is pretty good. In any case, my idea is to be at 110% for the team."

The Spanish rider has trained with Ayuso and sees the team leader back to himself. "I’ve been training with him at home and I’ve seen him well, recovered from both the physical blow and the mental one. Crashing while leading Paris-Nice isn’t common, but I think in the long run it’ll be good for him. It will help him grow as a rider and learn to manage tough moments."

"Winning the Algarve is great, but cycling also includes these episodes. All this will make him stronger. He’s shown he has great condition and right now nobody doubts he’s been one of the strongest riders of the start of the season. As the injury wasn’t serious and he’s training well, he’s already 100% focused on his next goals, which I think will be in the Basque Country. I hope to come out of Catalunya well and be there to help him and make up for the bitter taste of Paris–Nice."

Their relationship away from racing is also close. "Honestly, we have a great time. For me, it’s a burst of freshness. Training with him is almost like a game. He reminds me of Alejandro Valverde in that sense. Juan is methodical, but he also leaves room for improvisation: sometimes we find a Strava segment and challenge each other."

The duo keep close ties with biker Aleix Espargaró who briefly represented Lidl-Trek's development squad last year. "With Aleix we often train the three of us together and the days just fly by. Sometimes we swap intervals, though I usually end up losing, but the important thing is we have fun."