Juan Ayuso "He is a racer, a winner" and possibly a Vuelta a España starter, says UAE manager

Juan Ayuso has been touted as one of the most promising young talents of the upcoming generation. At only 19 years of age, he's already contesting the win in World Tour stage-races, and UAE Team Emirates manager Mauro Gianetti has mentioned that he his Grand Tour debut is on the table for this year.

Gianetti told VeloNews that first and foremost, the team is satisfied with the performances that the Spaniard has already been putting on: “We'll see, he is only 19 years old, but he is such a great talent. We saw what he could do in the Tour de Romandie, without being one hundred percent. It is certainly someone for the future, but it is still too early to think about the Vuelta right now. The season is long and we have a great responsibility to build a good future for him.”

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The winner of last year's under-23 Giro d'Italia at only 18, Ayuso was immediately brought to World Tour level by UAE Team Emirates. Although not having yet made his debut winning as a professional, he's been close for several times. And in the last couple of months, he's finished the Volta a Catalunya in fifth place, and the Tour de Romandie in fourth - establishing himself as a leading stage-racer already within the peloton.

Although a Grand Tour was not on the plans for the youngster, Gianetti has said that the second part of his season is open and he may be on the team's plan for the Vuelta a España depending on how the season goes.

“We let the body speak and decide whether he is ready for the Vuelta. He's not the type of rider who comes to a race just to watch. He is a racer, a winner. That's why we will sit with him and his coach and decide," he concluded.

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