"Finishing seventh or fifth in the GC wasn’t going to change much for me" - Juan Ayuso rolls the dice to try and win on Alpe d'Huez
CyclingSaturday, 25 July 2026 at 20:00
Juan Ayuso put a full stop to a very complicated 2026 Tour de France with a brave ride on the queen stage in the Alps. The Lidl-Trek leader made the day’s break, fought for the win until the final kilometers, and crossed the line in ninth place - a result insufficient to alter a general classification in which he will finish seventh after the last stage to Paris, shortened to 89 kilometers due to the fires.
After the finish, the Spaniard admitted the Tour had not gone as he expected, but said he was leaving with a clear conscience for having fought to the very last day.
Ayuso explained that, after the frustration of the previous stage, he was set on going for the stage win. However, getting into the break proved far tougher than expected.
“After a bit of yesterday’s frustration—it was more frustration than disappointment—because when you give everything you can’t ask for much more. It’s been a complicated Tour for me, but giving up is never an option and today I wanted to leave everything I had out there.”
The Spaniard revealed that both UAE Team Emirates XRG and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale repeatedly made it hard for him to be in the move.
“It was very tough from the gun because neither Decathlon nor UAE wanted to let me go in the break. Several riders told me they were going to shut me down, so I had to try to force the selection myself and take responsibility. I burned a lot of matches there, although they probably would have beaten me at the end anyway.”
Juan Ayuso at the 2026 Tour de France
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For Ayuso, the stage mattered more than the general classification
Ayuso made it clear the overall had ceased to be a priority. His only fixation was saying goodbye to the Tour with a stage win.
“I set out for the stage. Truth is, finishing seventh or fifth in the GC wasn’t going to change much for me.”
The Lidl-Trek rider acknowledged that, after what happened the day before, he had pinned his hopes on that partial victory.
“Yesterday, when the stage ended, I already had it in mind to try to win today, but honestly I haven’t had the legs I would have liked. You have to add a bit more heart and pride, and that’s what I tried to do.”
Although the final result fell short of his initial ambitions, Ayuso said he leaves satisfied with the attitude he showed over the three weeks of racing.
“I’m quite proud because, even though things didn’t go as I wanted, I always tried to bring out the best version of myself.”
Juan Ayuso was in the breakaway of the day on stage 20 of the Tour de France
The Spaniard explained he began to feel that the sensations weren’t as expected from the first major mountain day.
“From the first week, on the Tourmalet, I was already struggling. But with each passing stage I tried to push this forward in the best way possible.”
Ayuso concluded by taking stock of a Tour that did not allow him to finish on the podium, though he insisted he never stopped giving his all on the bike.
“I feel more frustration about not arriving here with the form I would have liked, but disappointment, not at all. I’ve always given my best and I’m proud of that.”
With this attack on stage 20, the Spaniard wrapped up his 2026 Tour de France with a combative image right to the final mountain day. Although he will ultimately have to settle for seventh in the general classification, his words show that, even in a Tour far from his best level, he never stopped fighting for a win that slipped away.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- Partners in crime CO rebreathing - untestable dopingJakob26-07-2026
- I'm more surprised that Skjelmose performs better than him during this Tour. He tried too hard.
KerisVroom26-07-2026 - You've missed my point. I didn't defend UCI, nor Mauro. On contrary, I wonder if this attestation procedure could be abused in practice, and if there are active riders who use this approach, for a legitimate purpose or maybe not.
raven25-07-2026 - awesome story, your husband must be proud of youwhkman25-07-2026
- I mean lance bribed people at the uci to keep their mouths shut. the uci isn't that credible. and mauro is even less crediblewhkman25-07-2026
- He's an extraordinary character. A race leader who rather sacrifice his stage win, not once, not twice but thrice for his teammate during the biggest stage race in the world. This has never been done before. I don't think it will be done again. Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy this while Tadej is still in his peak. The show won't last forever.KerisVroom25-07-2026
- And he’s already missing half a tooth from an earlier stage!!!mij25-07-2026
- I’m hoping that he would take the win at the Champs-Élysées too ;) but his critics will then say he’s selfish or he’s making the race “boring”.b3tlla25-07-2026
- Pogacar = 🥱
leedorney25-07-2026 - Pogacar = 🥱leedorney25-07-2026
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