"He made a good decision" - Miguel Indurain comes to terms with Juan Ayuso's controversial departure

The 2025 Vuelta a Espana began its second week of racing on Tuesday, but all eyes were focused off the road. Specifically, towards UAE Team Emirates - XRG. On Monday they announced the departure of Juan Ayuso at the end of the season, and that announcement did not please the Spaniard, who believes it was incorrect in words. Miguel Indurain has commented on the whole controversy.

Juan Ayuso started stage 10 of the Vuelta a España with some very incendiary statements. In them, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider unloaded all his fury against the team for the following reason:

"I obviously know why they have done it, to try to damage my image again, as in the communiqué, with which I do not agree. They talk about values and union and these are things that I also agree with. Evidently yesterday they also took advantage of some unfortunate words of Almeida, which I have spoken to Joao and he has apologized to me, because he agrees with what happened. I want to help, the other day it wasn't right, he understood that."

"I think the relationship with my teammates, including Almeida, no matter how much we talk, is good and he deserves all the support I can give him, also all the work of all the other six members, except Almeida, they deserve that I contribute what I can contribute and that's what I can try to do. I would have liked to finish well with the team, that's what we tried to do with the negotiation before the Vuelta, to finish well, but it seems that sometimes it's not possible, when it's more like a dictatorship and a unilateral thing of power over you."

These words have been the talk of the cycling world during the stage, even after Jay Vine's victory for UAE Team Emirates - XRG on Tuesday. For Spanish cycling legend Indurain, the perspective taken was more cautious, wanting to advise Juan Ayuso rather than comment on the controversy itself:

"Juan Ayuso has been a bit of a fly in the ointment with UAE for some time now. It seems that in the end he has made a good decision," began Miguel Indurain on the topic of the moment at the Vuelta a Espana.

"I was in the same team my whole career. In the end, if what you want is to always be at your best (not working for anyone), you have to be calm. What you have to look for is tranquility in the team where you are to be able to give everything on the road," Indurain added.

Finally, Miguel Indurain offers a last piece of advice to Juan Ayuso: "You have to focus, because a cyclist's sporting career passes quickly, and you have to make the most of it," he concluded.