“I am Rainbow Jersey material” – Juan Ayuso boldly predicts Evenepoel & Pogacar to cancel each other out in Kigali Worlds road race

With the 2025 UCI Road World Championships underway in Rwanda, Juan Ayuso has positioned himself as a serious outsider in the men’s road race, confident that a tactical stalemate between the two clear favourites could open the door for a breakthrough.

Speaking to Eurosport ahead of his departure to Kigali, the young Spaniard was frank about his ambitions: “There are several riders who are much more favoured than me; I expect Remco and Tadej to mark each other.”

Ayuso, the expected leader of Alejandro Valverde’s Spanish squad, arrives in Rwanda with renewed confidence compared to 2024's World Championships. “I arrive at this Worlds with more conviction and more excitement than last year. In 2024, it was tough after the Tour. I think racing the Vuelta has been good preparation for this World Championships,” he reflected, referencing his recent stage wins at the Grand Tour.

While Remco Evenepoel dominated the Kigali individual time trial, capturing his third consecutive elite men’s rainbow jersey in the discipline, Pogacar had a rare off-day, being caught and passed on the course and missing the podium by a single second to Ilan van Wilder. This contrast in form sets up an intriguing tactical scenario for the road race, with Ayuso confident he can exploit any hesitation.

“Everything will explode on the final climb, 100 km from the finish. Waiting is never ideal in a race of this toughness… But I find it hard to believe Remco and Tadej will attack before the climb. That would be the perfect moment,” Ayuso explained.

Far from planning to follow in the slipstream of the favourites, he made his intentions clear: “Yes, I see myself as Rainbow Jersey material. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t – it’s a dream. There are many factors, but if I wasn’t convinced, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not signing for silver. With the team we have and representing Spain, we have to go all out.”

In the build-up to the race, Ayuso has been sharpening his legs with the Spanish squad in the Sierra de Madrid, completing a four-hour session marked by laughter and camaraderie. “For a World Championships of this difficulty, that always helps,” he noted, highlighting the importance of morale alongside physical preparation.

Ayuso also addressed his upcoming transfer from UAE Team Emirates to Lidl-Trek at the end of the season, acknowledging the distractions in his final months with his current team: “I would have preferred a Vuelta with less stress outside of racing.”

As the peloton prepares for the 267 km loop through Kigali’s hilly terrain, Ayuso’s mix of tactical awareness, raw talent, and confidence in the Spanish squad make him a rider to watch. If Evenepoel and Pogacar neutralise each other as he anticipates, the young Spaniard could be perfectly positioned to seize the rainbow jersey in what promises to be a fiercely contested finale.