"He made a good decision" - Miguel Indurain comes to terms with Juan Ayuso's controversial departure
Cycling
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.
Juan Ayuso will leave UAE totally pissed off with the UAE team
"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.
The transience of professional cycling
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.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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