“It's a pressure he has but because he has earned it” – Contador on Ayuso’s Vuelta struggles

Alberto Contador gave his assessment on Eurosport’s La Montonera regarding Juan Ayuso’s sharp drop in the Vuelta a España general classification. The UAE rider was only added to the lineup after Tadej Pogacar’s withdrawal, and although he started as a co-leader with Joao Almeida, it was already clear that his preparation was lacking. On the first summit finish he lost 12 minutes, a blow that confirmed his pre-race warnings about his condition. For Contador, there was nothing abnormal in what unfolded.

"It's a pressure he has but because he has earned it. In the end he had participated 2 times, at 19 he was able to do third in the Vuelta a España, he's done fourth on another occasion, it's a race that it's normal that you give him as a favorite. And then it's normal that the team at least gives him the respect of the bicephaly," Contador explained. He underlined that UAE could not bring Ayuso merely as a helper for Almeida: "Regardless of the fact that they know he hasn't been able to prepare the Vuelta in the best way, that he's not in the best shape, at least give him those options and not tell him that you're here exclusively to work for Joao."

The three-time Vuelta champion admitted he was surprised at how early Ayuso was dropped on the climb to Pal. "In the end the Vuelta a España and the road puts everyone in their place. What Juan was saying from the first moment was true, that he didn't have the best sensations. I have to admit that when I saw that there were 50 riders left and he dropped off, it did catch my attention, because in a group of 15 or 20 riders that would have been more normal, but the fact that he had dropped off so soon was more surprising."

Looking ahead, Contador pointed out that Ayuso’s race has shifted. "Well, it opens a different Vuelta a España for him than the ones he's faced so far and, well, as he said, he's already thinking about the World Cup."

The rider himself echoed that idea after his disappointing stage: “It’s been a bit like this all race – I’ve said it since day one, even before the start. My original plan wasn’t to go for the GC, but the team asked me to give it a go out of respect, so I tried. But I haven’t been feeling good, and I’ve just gone with the flow.”

He continued, “I wasn’t carrying that weight – that was more on you [the media]. It’s normal to build expectations, but I already knew from the start what my condition was and why I was here. People always expect me to go for the GC, like I usually do, but this isn’t like the Giro, which was a tough pill to swallow. Today, I just let it go and I’m looking ahead.”