“I was pretty tired - there’s no point in pushing for the sake of it" - Juan Ayuso responds to Vuelta criticism for leaving João Almeida isolated

Stage 9 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana wasn’t expected to be decisive — a modest summit finish to Valdezcaray, unlikely to detonate the general classification. But as Jonas Vingegaard launched a surgical, high-speed attack that shattered the lead group, UAE Team Emirates - XRG were left exposed.

While Team Visma | Lease a Bike delivered their two-time Tour de France winning leader into position with typical precision, João Almeida found himself adrift, with no support in sight. He ultimately conceded 24 seconds — a manageable time loss, but one that raised louder questions about the structure and hierarchy within UAE’s Vuelta campaign.

Nowhere was that spotlight more intense than on Juan Ayuso. A pre-race co-leader in theory, Ayuso was entirely absent from the front group when Almeida needed him most. Post-stage, the Spaniard cut a tired — and unapologetic — figure. “I was pretty tired and couldn’t really help the team much,” Ayuso admitted candidly to Marca. “I’m not in the fight for the general classification, so there’s no point in pushing just for the sake of it.”

The 22-year-old, considered one of Spain’s brightest GC prospects, has struggled to find rhythm during the opening week. An inconsistent start has left him far off the pace — and by his own admission, not in contention for the overall. He shipped over 20 minutes on the Valdezcaray ascent, effectively closing the door on any top-10 ambitions. “I wasn’t going to be up there. Pushing for another five minutes wouldn’t have made any sense,” he said bluntly.

His remarks appear aimed at those questioning his absence in Almeida’s hour of need — critics who expected a show of loyalty or sacrifice. But Ayuso’s response suggests a rider thinking more about the long game than about damage control for a teammate’s GC bid.

The broader issue for UAE Team Emirates - XRG, though, may be structural. Ayuso wasn’t the only rider missing when the road went uphill. Jay Vine and Marc Soler — both climbers capable of influencing these kinds of stages — were also nowhere to be seen. It left Almeida, UAE’s de facto leader, to fend for himself against the most well-drilled team in the peloton.

The Vuelta is long, and its most decisive climbs still lie ahead. But UAE’s lack of cohesion is fast becoming a theme. Whether it’s a case of misaligned objectives, underperformance, or internal ambiguity over leadership, the team looks a far cry from the dominant force that arrived with three co-leaders and high ambitions.

Ayuso, for his part, has now made clear he’s charting his own course through the race — and it's not one that includes burying himself for Almeida.