"Ayuso's ambition is so big that it can also get in his way" - Dutch pundits on UAE leader's Giro struggles
Cycling
Juan Ayuso's course towards the Giro d'Italia was closely followed and due to the circumstances that followed throughout the Corsa Rosa, the Spaniard was in the headlines almost everyday. Laurens Ten Dam and Stefan Bolt have talked about the 22-year old and how his ambition may be his biggest enemy.
On the Live Slow Ride Fast podcast, Bolt has argued that "the freedom that Del Toro has naturally appealed much more to the imagination. Ayuso's ambition is so big that it can also get in his way".
"Sports director Fabio Baldato said something similar: Juan has a big ego. And he didn't mean that in a negative way". Different personalities, however the pressure on Ayuso's shoulders was very big, after the controversy that took place at last year's Tour de France, and the high amount of attention from the lively Spanish media bubble.
After not having been given freedom to race the Giro last year - due to Tadej Pogacar's presence, Ayuso was keen on grabbing this opportunity with both hands. Having dominated Tirreno-Adriatico; at Catalunya he finished second to a Primoz Roglic who had now already abandoned the Giro; and with the absence of riders like Pogacar or Jonas Vingegaard, it was the perfect opportunity to finally take a Grand Tour victory.
However a set of crashes led to a knee injury and the pressure was also high, taking into consideration the team's position with Isaac del Toro in the pink jersey but Ayuso's other rivals right on his heels. There was a lot of pressure, which then physically and mentally took a toll on the Spaniard, who lost considerable time on stage 16. Later on, a bee sting in the face ended up bringing to a close his race.
Ten Dam compared Ayuso to a rider he had raced with in the past and saw similar behaviour: "Robert Gesink may have had that a little bit in his early years. In 2009, Denis Menchov won the Giro d'Italia and then went on to the Tour as lead rider. That was Robert's first Tour, and he was already a world-class rider."
"We went to scout a few stages, and I asked Robert 'suppose Menchov gets dropped somewhere on the first climbs, would you wait for him?' Robert said: no, I wouldn't wait. Whereas Menchov said: in my early years, I always had to ride for others, even though I was wearing the white jersey in the Tour."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
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- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
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- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
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