Juan Ayuso lands in the Tour de Romandie 2024 in very different conditions than he did in 2023, when it was his first race of the year after a long injury that had kept him out since the 2022 Vuelta a España. Even so, he was able to win the prologue, although he did not perform at a good level in the mountains due to lack of form.
In this article, alongside CiclismoAlDia's Juan Larra, we analyze the reasons why we believe that the young talent of UAE Team Emirates is the great favorite to take the final victory of the Swiss race next Sunday.
1. THE ROUTE
The route of the Tour de Romandie suits him perfectly. Ayuso is one of the best prologue riders in the world and in the short time-trials he performs at a high level. In just 6 days of competition there is a prologue and a 15 km time trial. This is a terrain to take seconds off many rivals that can be decisive. Then, there are two summit finishes that, given how he performed in Tirreno-Adriatico and Itzulia Basque Country, should also suit him to the core.
2. THE RIVALS
The strongest rival at the start of Romandie is his own teammate Adam Yates, who is in poor form and we assume that he will not fight for the final victory. The other big favorite is Jai Hindley, who Ayuso took more than 3 minutes off in the Itzulia and finished ahead at Tirreno-Adriatico. Men like Egan Bernal or Enric Mas should do well, but they will surely lose key seconds in the time trials. His teammate Brandon McNulty in the mountains is inferior to him. Men like Aleksandr Vlasov, Alexey Lutsenko or Lenny Martinez should not be in his league in the mountains.
3. THE TIMING
His time has come. He just won the Itzulia after the withdrawals of Evenepoel, Roglic and Vingegaard. After them (and Pogacar) he should be able to beat anyone. After overcoming a complicated 2023 finishing fourth in the Vuelta a España he has prepared to perfection this campaign and so far he is fulfilling: Great start with victory in Faun-Ardèche Classic and podiums in Andalucía and Laigueglia, second in Tirreno behind Vingegaard and victory in Itzulia. Then he improved his performance in Amstel Gold Race before freezing to death in Flèche Wallonne.
He has never started a season so well and now comes to a race in which he must prove that he is closer than ever to the best in the world. His time has come.
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