ANALYSIS | Lingering tension? Did Adam Yates avoid working for Juan Ayuso at Tirreno-Adriatico and what does it mean for UAE at the Giro d'Italia?
Cycling
Adam Yates was one of the most vocal critics of Juan Ayuso during the 2024 Tour de France. The British rider, rather than keeping his frustrations behind closed doors, aired them publicly, criticizing the Spanish rider for "shying away" from taking responsibility in support of Tadej Pogacar.
Despite UAE boss Joxean Matxín repeatedly claiming that nothing significant happened, the reality was quite different. There was clear frustration from Yates, João Almeida, and Mauro Gianetti, who even publicly reprimanded Ayuso.
Months have passed, and it seems Ayuso's punishment for this has been participation in only the Giro d'Italia this season, with no other Grand Tour on his calendar. But that might not be the only consequence of his reluctance. In fact, Yates seemingly didn't help Ayuso for a single second during the recent Tirreno-Adriatico. Not a second. Not a metre. And both of them are set to be co-leaders of the team at the aforementioned Giro d'Italia.
Yates, who will once again be part of Tadej Pogacar's inner circle for the upcoming Tour, likely arrives with a slightly diminished form. His performance in the Italian race was far from impressive. He struggled in the time trial, losing any chance of a podium, and didn’t show up among the leaders at any point.
In the decisive stage on Saturday, where Juan Ayuso sealed the overall victory with a solo finish, Yates did manage to hang on a bit longer in the UAE's front group, but the attack from Ayuso came just as Isaac Del Toro stopped pulling at the front, meaning Yates didn’t have to contribute.
The big question now is whether Yates would have contributed if the situation had been different, or if he would have "shirked" again. We won’t know until the Giro, where one of the two riders will likely have to work for the other. It will be fascinating to see who is stronger. So far, Ayuso has had a sensational start to the season, though it’s true that Yates has a better record in high-mountain stages of Grand Tours.
It will be interesting to see whether last year’s Tour remains a lingering issue for UAE, or if the media is just reading too much into things. For now, the Tirreno-Adriatico hasn’t given us any clear answers. We’ll have to wait and see.
Read also
Ayuso no works for the others: usually he runs hidden in the back of the pack to avoid working. Maybe he's not a good teammate, maybe he reaps what he sows. Personally, he is one of the few riders that I find unpleasant.
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