"Cycling has changed a lot; it’s become far more universal" - Pedro Delgado on Spain's role in professional cycling; and Juan Ayuso

Pedro Delgado has full confidence in the future of Juan Ayuso, whom he considers the brightest talent in Spanish cycling today. In an interview with the Agencia EFE after the presentation of the Gran Fondo de Valencia, where he serves as ambassador, the Tour de France winner highlighted the potential of the young rider from Xàbia.

“By potential, Juan Ayuso is the best rider we have, I have a lot of faith in him,” said Delgado, who stressed both the rider’s sporting qualities and mindset. “I think he has the quality, and he simply needs one year, two years, to reach his best. And because he has such a strong mentality, I trust him, because he’s very good,” he added.

Ayuso will miss the upcoming Ardennes Classics after medical tests following Itzulia confirmed he recently suffered a viral infection at Itzulia Basque Country which he has not recovered from. A setback that, according to Delgado, adds to a season defined by highs and lows.

“He actually started the year very well by winning the Algarve, and then at Paris–Nice he crashed while in the lead, set to face Vingegaard, which would have been a good test for future goals. At Itzulia he was ill, not fully recovered… It’s been up and down,” he noted.

The Segovian also pointed to pressure as one of the main challenges for Spain’s young star: “I think he puts a lot of pressure on himself, and sometimes when he sees he’s not meeting the projected expectations he turns it inwards, which doesn’t help him process that adversity more calmly. But of course, everyone has a character that’s hard to negotiate with.”

Even so, Delgado was upbeat about Ayuso’s trajectory and confident he will reach his peak with time.

Beyond Ayuso, Delgado also assessed the current state of Spanish cycling, steering clear of overly negative takes. “The level isn’t as buoyant as we could boast years ago, but it’s not that bad either, there’s no need to be defeatist,” he explained.

The former rider also recalled the historic generation that defined a golden era: “We had a period that started with me, then Miguel Indurain, Óscar Pereiro, Carlos Sastre, Alejandro Valverde, Alberto Contador… We enjoyed a golden age of cycling, stringing together young generations roughly every ten years.”

However, he also highlighted the sport’s global evolution and rising international competition: “Cycling has changed a lot; it’s become far more universal. Sport in general is much more globalized, and the Chinese haven’t even arrived yet. When the Chinese come into cycling, who knows what will happen.”

In the same vein, he stressed how hard it is to stand out now: “There are Australians, Africans coming through… The competition is fierce, and there’s a worldwide scouting of young talent who can emerge from anywhere. That means Spanish cycling isn’t at a disadvantage per se, but the level of competition is much higher now than before.”