"I think I can have a chance" - Ayuso eyes world championships showdown with Pogacar

On the morning of the World Championship road race in Kigali, Juan Ayuso set out his ambitions with quiet determination. The Spanish leader acknowledged both the uniqueness of the Rwandan setting and the sheer physical demands of the course, making clear just how much he has invested in this target since the beginning of the season.

"They are different sensations from what we usually have in Europe," Ayuso said. "We arrived on Thursday, we did a small concentration in Navacerrada and I think it was good for us. Here the altitude is quite noticeable, it's a little harder to breathe, but it's the same for everyone. Let's see how it goes today."

For Ayuso, this is no passing opportunity but the fulfilment of long-term planning. "It was a very big goal. With today's course, if I'm good, I think I can have a chance. I hope I'm in good shape to take advantage of them," the UAE Team Emirates rider explained.

A key source of inspiration is Alejandro Valverde, now guiding the national team from the car. "I don't know how many coaches have been world champions, I imagine very few. It's fortunate to have a person like him with us. Here, for example, it was impossible to follow us with the car and he came by bike. He was able to be by our side at all times. It's a pleasure to have an idol at the controls," Ayuso reflected.

The atmosphere within the Spanish camp has been lifted further by results in other categories. "The women have set the bar very high for us. Spain is having an impressive World Cup. We've won medals in the under-23, juniors and women's professional categories, and we came very close in the juniors as well. There is pressure, of course, but above all a lot of joy for what we are achieving. Let's hope we can finish it off today," he added.