"I always tried to make him stay – He’s going to be an outstanding cyclist": Matxin full of praise for Juan Ayuso despite high-profile UAE fallout
Cycling
Joxean Matxin has spoken publicly for the first time since Juan Ayuso’s acrimonious split from UAE Team Emirates - XRG, insisting that despite the controversy surrounding the 23-year-old’s departure, he still holds the young Spaniard in the highest regard.
Speaking in an interview with Eurosport España, the Emirati squad’s long-time team boss revealed that he “always tried to make him stay” and that, despite the tension and the rider’s accusations of disrespect, his feelings towards Ayuso remain largely positive.
“I have a genuinely good relationship with him and I wish him all the best,” said Matxin. “I think he was unfortunate in the way he expressed himself, but I’ve always wanted him to stay. Once we discussed everything, I could understand both sides. In the end, it was the best solution for everyone.”
Fallout in the spotlight
UAE Team Emirates’ announcement of Ayuso’s impending exit during the first rest day of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana sparked a media storm. The rider, caught off guard by the timing, accused the team of “trying to damage my image” and described the internal culture as “a dictatorship” – comments that dominated headlines during cycling’s biggest late-season race.
Ayuso’s frustrations reportedly stemmed from a deteriorating relationship with management, fuelled by uncertainty over his long-term role within a team built around Tadej Pogacar. Negotiations earlier in the year over a proposed contract extension to 2030 collapsed, and by late summer, both parties had agreed to part ways three years before the original deal was due to expire.
Matxin, however, played down talk of a toxic environment, suggesting that emotions had simply run high in the heat of competition. “You can have your opinion,” he explained. “But I don’t think you should express it in the heat of the moment to the media. Not everyone does things the way we’d like, or thinks the same way we do. These are life experiences that serve as lessons.”
From prodigy to rival
Ayuso will join Lidl–Trek from 2026 on a long-term deal, marking a major transfer coup for the American team and a significant reshaping of the GC landscape. With 16 career wins and eight victories already in 2025 – including stages at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, as well as the overall title at Tirreno–Adriatico – Ayuso is set to become one of Pogacar’s principal Tour de France rivals.
Matxin, though, was quick to praise the youngster’s potential, maintaining that the split should not overshadow Ayuso’s talent or achievements. “He’s going to be an outstanding cyclist,” he said. “He’s already one of the best in the world. I hope he wins races – just not against us.”
A reflection of modern cycling dynamics
The Ayuso saga has shone a light on the increasing tension within superteams like UAE, where multiple elite riders compete for leadership roles in Grand Tours. Balancing ambition, hierarchy and long-term development is proving an ever-greater challenge for managers like Matxin, who must juggle the egos and expectations of several world-class athletes under one roof.
For Ayuso, a fresh start at Lidl–Trek offers a chance to rebuild and to lead without the shadow of Pogacar looming overhead. For UAE, it represents the end of a turbulent chapter – one that may serve as a cautionary tale about how fragile relationships can become in the high-pressure world of elite cycling.
Still, amid all the noise, Matxin’s words carry a tone of respect rather than resentment – a reminder that even after one of the year’s most public fallouts, admiration and disappointment can coexist. “I’ve always wanted the best for him,” Matxin concluded. “Sometimes things don’t work out the way we hope, but I truly believe this decision was right for both of us.”
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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- 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
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- 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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