"Much tougher than we all expected" - UAE turn up the heat as Juan Ayuso admits he's missing "punch" in early stages of Tour de France
CyclingTuesday, 07 July 2026 at 13:30
Stage 3 of the Tour de France left Juan Ayuso 10th on the day, four seconds behind winner Tadej Pogacar as the Slovenian goes into the yellow jersey. The Lidl-Trek rider remains near the top of the general classification in an encouraging start to the Tour.
In the overall, Ayuso sits fifth, 27 seconds down on Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, and just 4 seconds off the provisional podium spot held by a reinvigorated Remco Evenepoel.
After the stage, the Spaniard spoke to Eurosport about what happened on the day: “A really hard day. UAE wanted to go for the stage and I think they pulled it off, right?"
He labeled Monday's test as the first major obstacle of the race: "It was the first truly tough day of this Tour and I’m pleased. I’m missing a bit of punch, but I’m happy to be there and we keep going.”
On UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s strategy, he explained: “Look, it’s an ambitious team, they always go all in, and with the squad they have they’ve shown how strong they are, that they can do it. And of course, if they think they can win, they’ll always try, just like any of us would.”
Ayuso’s sensations
On his form at the start of the race and what lies ahead, he added: “Yes, hopefully tomorrow is a bit easier. To be honest, today was much tougher than we all expected, but as I say, day by day, and on to tomorrow.”
The stage was also shaped by the pace set by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with Pogacar among the key actors in the finale, in a favorites group already prising open gaps in the GC.
We’ll see what happens on Thursday on the Tourmalet, which will be the first real test for the Tour de France 2026 general classification contenders.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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