"Ayuso at 90% is a star" - Matxin on UAE's need for team work to beat a powerful Jonas Vingegaard and Visma

UAE Team Emirates - XRG enter the Vuelta a España without the main favourite and perhaps without the spotlight on them. Manger Joxean Matxin wants to use that and attempts to shift the pressure away as much as possible from João Almeida and Juan Ayuso, something that will be necessary to be able to battle with Jonas Vingegaard.

"On paper, it's quite obvious: there is one rider who stands out above the rest, and that is Vingegaard, a sure bet in the grand tours. I have always respected rival teams, and I still do," Matxin shared with Marca. "Visma has a very strong squad, but races are not won with names, but with condition. Vingegaard already showed in the Tour that he is in great shape, but we will see the real condition of the others on the road".

Today's stage 2 will be an important day to gauge the form of the overall contenders, who start in the Limone summit finish a very long battle for the overall classification that will last all the way into stage 20. But Matxin looks to place the pressure not only on Vingegaard but also on Giulio Ciccone.

“But I wouldn't rule out people like Giulio Ciccone, who is having a brilliant season, or riders like Tiberi, Bernal, Pellizzari or Hindley. Right now, Jonas and Ciccone seem to be a step above the rest. Maybe we don't have that level, but we have the advantage of having two leaders". 

“We must take advantage of it by being aggressive, moving one or the other depending on the race situation. We have put together a balanced team: climbers, all-rounders and a reinforced group for the team time trial. We want that perfect balance to respond to any scenario," he says.

With the likes of Jay Vine and Marc Soler, the team can also attack the mountains whilst backing up Almeida and Ayuso. "They are ambitious, they read the race well, and they are not afraid to move. In a Vuelta with so many pitfalls, having two strong cards gives us more options than betting everything on just one. We need both of them to beat Vingegaard,"

On the Portuguese rider, he has high hopes that the best form will be reached despite the non-ideal preparation: “Almeida may not be at the level he showed in the Tour, but that break due to the crash may have done him good, and I am convinced that he will reach his best form here.”

On Ayuso, Matxin's confidence is also unbreakable: “As for Juan, after deciding together to come to this Vuelta, he has completed a great block of training. In Donostia (San Sebastian, ed.) he lacked spark, in Getxo he had it, although in a different context with less powerful rivals. He will be in good condition. Ayuso at 90% is a star, I have no doubt about that".