"I always have scales to weigh food" - Juan Ayuso reveals he has just four days a year where he can eat what he likes
Cycling
Juan Ayuso is widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in the peloton today. Aside from his vast natural talent on the bike, it is his incredible dedication to his craft that looks likely to take the Spaniard far in the sport he loves.
In a recent interview, the UAE Team Emirates rider who finished on the podium at last year's Vuelta a Espana, gave an eye-opening insight into life as a professional bike rider and the rigours that coincide with the dedication needed to stay in top shape. Ayuso even reveals how in the whole of the year he only has "four days in which I can eat whatever I want."
"I always have scales to weigh food and to weigh myself," Ayuso, whose usual weight is around 64.5 kilos, explains. "Now I only live in Andorra, but when I lived with my parents I started weighing food. At 17 I started working with my nutritionist Gorka, until then I was like any other boy and now it costs me nothing to take food, put it on the scale and eat."
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"It's useless to do everything right on your bike, to be in spectacular shape if you don't take care of your diet," says the 20-year-old, explaining his routine. "Better to train less and take more care of food and other things, it's a fundamental part and you have to take care of it. The permission they gave me at Christmas is enough for me and I don't need to go astray."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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