"If the opportunity to put pressure on Jumbo-Visma arises, we will all seize it" - Ayuso opens possibility of Spanish Vuelta alliance alongside Mas & Landa

Jumbo-Visma's utter dominance of the general classification at the Vuelta a Espana doesn't show any signs of lessening as the race reaches the second rest day. Could the only way to stop them be an alliance of rivals?

Positioned behind the Jumbo-Visma trio of Sepp Kuss, Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard in the GC of the Vuelta are a quarter of Spaniards. Could Mikel Landa, Enric Mas and UAE Team Emirates duo, Marc Soler and Juan Ayuso come together in week 3 to try and put a halt on the Jumbo-Visma charge? Speaking at a rest-day press conference, Ayuso refuses to rule it out.

"It will of course be very difficult to win the round, especially if those three guys from Jumbo-Visma continue to cycle so solidly. The rest of the team is also in top form, which makes it extra difficult. It also ensures that it is not possible to attack from afar. But anything can happen in the last week. So we have to maintain the optimistic vibe," says the 20-year-old in quotes collected by In de Leiderstrui. "But on the other hand: the other teams will of course remain rivals. If the opportunity to put pressure on Jumbo-Visma arises, we will all seize it. At the end of the relevant stage, those other teams are still just competitors."

"They are simply the strongest team and don't seem to have any bad days. They race very solidly and at a very high level," Ayuso praises, admitting that whatever happens, it won't be easy to crack the podium as he did in last year's edition of the race. "It is quite easy for them to control the race. This year the third week is really different than last year. This year the toughest stages are still to come, last year they were in week two. Of course it's only my second Grand Tour, so it's a bit difficult to say. I don't think I will necessarily improve in the final week, but that I can maintain my high level."