Juan Ayuso: "Fighting the uncertainty of thinking that I might not get back on the bike was extremely difficult"
Cycling
Juan Ayuso has not had an easy 2023. After his breakthrough in the Vuelta a España 2022, it took him months to make his debut in the season that has just concluded. He gives his impressions of it in an interview from the folks at Relevo.
The UAE Team Emirates rider admits to continuing to experience pain from time to time, although he seems to have the injury under control after a difficult start to the season in which he even had thoughts of retirement.
Read also
PLAIN
"Obviously, it is still worrying because it is something that is the nerve, that you do not know when it is going to come, when it is not going to come and if it comes, if it is going to stay or if it is going to leave at the moment.... So, something that keeps bothering a little bit behind the ear. But, for now and after I went back to competing, I haven't had any moment where the pain was so that I had to stop again. I hope I can keep it up."
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
"The problem with my injury was the mental aspect more than the injury itself. Because, let's see, the pain allowed me to continue living a normal life, apart from being able to ride a bike, which is not as serious as other misfortunes that have happened in cycling. But the problem was the uncertainty of saying that "maybe I can't get back on the bike because of this nonsense". A little foolishness, let's call it that. So, fighting that uncertainty was extremely difficult."
Read also
RETURN TO COMPETITION
"It was what I asked for, but also what I had already discussed with the team when I made the podium in La Vuelta in 2022. We already agreed that in 2023 I would ride La Vuelta again to try to improve, but that already in 2024 I was going to try in the Tour. Although I've had the injury, everything has gone a little bit on track and it's a little bit what we had closed for a long time."
2024
Eventually he recovered in time to race the Vuelta a Espana at the highest level, after succeeding at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse. He rode to fourth in Spain, the best of the rest outside of the Jumbo-Visma riders.
"I think I was at least able to turn the situation around. To finish the year similar to last year, which is the important thing and what I'm left with after everything that happened," he concludes. "Let's hope that next season I can have a year without any inconvenience, without any problems and that my results are what I can achieve. I only ask that my results are not altered by these misfortunes".
Read also
Article written by Juan Larra.

Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 6visitors 5
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
Loading
💥 MATHIEU VAN DER POEL 🌈🇳🇱 consigue la VICTORIA en el @MadridCriterium 🥈 Juan Ayuso 🇪🇦 se anota el segundo puesto y 🥉 Carlos Verona es tercero en la clasificación final!! 🙌🏼 EVENTAZO EL MADRID CRITÉRIUM 2023!! 🎥 @Garzon__Jesus
Write a comment









