"At UAE, I often battled my teammates" - Juan Ayuso blames team management for unfolding chaos with likes of Pogacar and Almeida

Juan Ayuso is one of the most controversial figures in pro cycling currently but the 23-year old argues that this is much because of how he was treated by the management of UAE Team Emirates - XRG. He admits in a recent interview that he had been pondering leaving the team for two years, that he was virtually threatened with a poor calendar after refusing to renew with the team until 2030, and discussed how all of this affected his relationship with his teammates.

"It was mainly the small incidents, and when we knew something wasn't right. At every race, when I came home, I felt there was no chemistry or relationship. It was small things after every race, but even in the 2023 Vuelta, I thought that if I had the chance to leave, I would consider it," Ayuso admitted in an interview with Daniel Benson. The Spaniard, now moving to Lidl-Trek, agreed with the team to terminate the contract that lasted until 2028, signed when he was a young developing rider.

"Every time I even briefly brought it up with management, the answer was always 'no.' I felt like leaving was a very remote possibility, so I tried to make the best of it. On the other hand, when all these things pile up, there's a moment when you think 'fuck, I'm here to ride and enjoy it'." Ayuso had a very tough 2024 but bounced back this year, winning Tirreno-Adriatico as well as a few other one-day races early in the season, finishing second to Primoz Roglic at the Volta a Catalunya and winning a stage at the Giro d'Italia where he was a main favourite for the pink jersey.

But there, he crashed on the mini Strade Bianche stage on the same day as Isaac del Toro attacked and put on the pink jersey. Another episode of an internal rivalry was born. "And at UAE, I often battled my teammates. That's not a nice feeling. It just keeps building up when you're constantly focused on what's happening inside your own team bus instead of outside, with teammates who want to beat you. It was more of a gradual thing than something that happened in a single day."

Del Toro was only one of several, with Ayuso also supposedly in a small dispute with Tadej Pogacar after the 2024 Tour de France where he was reluctant to work on the Col du Galibier and then didn't play much of a supporting role after being infected with Covid-19 and abandoning the race prematurely. Mostly however it was with João Almeida that clashes were portrayed, over their Grand Tours raced together but also the 2022 Volta a Catalunya where Almeida lost his race lead in a day where Ayuso looked reluctant to work as well.

"It wasn't really Almeida, and I would never challenge a teammate. For me, it was more about what happened, because things happen in every team, and that's sport, but from management, it was never clear what the message was or what the riders' role was," he adds.

Potentially, some of the controversial decisions that saw Ayuso on the spotlight were not actually his, rather they came from the team car. "If mistakes were made, they were never addressed. That only cost me energy; more than the act itself, it was more about how team management handled the situation. To be honest, it wasn't that big a problem with the teammates. The problem was with management."

The Spaniard seems to suggest this was the case, explaining that this came about in an attempt to renew his contract earlier this year. "In January, I had a proposal to extend my contract for another two years, so until the end of 2030. During those negotiations with management, my biggest concern wasn't so much about money, but more about the famous buyout fee of one hundred million. I told them I could extend my contract, but only if there was a buyout fee in case I wanted to leave later".

Ayuso did not accept and a deal wasn't reached, and this turned the tide on how the team looked at the Spaniard: "From that moment on, management became very aggressive, to the point where I was told that if I didn't sign the extension, we would see what schedule I would follow. That was one of the biggest turning points, besides the sporting side, which was a bit of a trickle, and that was the moment I said, 'Okay, enough is enough.'"

It is evident from how Ayuso spoke since the revelation of his departure from the team, that there are bad terms between him and some staff members at the team. He has been unusually critical, without naming specific names however. "I'm not saying it's unfair to the people who think that way, because everyone is entitled to their opinion, but my image is being portrayed in a way that definitely deviates from who I really am".

And the premature announcement of his departure mid-Vuelta was what triggered the Spaniard into not holding back (at least in some way) from what he felt wasn't right in the team. "What bothers me most is that the team, instead of trying to help, at least in recent months, tried to generate more blood and make it look good on their end. I was seen as the villain in the movie, so I can't criticize anyone for their opinion, because if that's the version they have of me, I have no problem with it."

Hence, he is looking to have a fresh change in his career, joining Lidl-Trek. Although his future co-leader Mattias Skjelmose already showed reluctance in the Spaniard joining the project. "It's a bit unfair, but we all know how communication works. Still, I'm sure that starting next year, people in a new team will really be able to see who I am and how they see me. Because when I arrive at the team training camp in October and they see who I really am, I think that will help".

"During the Vuelta, Mads Pedersen came up to me and was super welcoming, even when it wasn't 100% official. I also spoke briefly with Giulio Ciccone during the Vuelta, and that was good. I'm also very willing to work for others. I want to show that I am the first to help my teammates achieve their goals".