🙌🏻 @juann_ayuso , in his debut Grand Tour, took 3rd place overall on the podium. In the process he comes the youngest ever podium finisher at #LaVuelta22 . #UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE
Juan Ayuso makes history as he becomes youngest ever Vuelta podium finisher - "I’m thrilled I could do this result"
CyclingMonday, 12 September 2022 at 12:00
At 19 years of age, Juan Ayuso has became the youngest rider ever to finish on the podium of the Vuelta a Espana and the youngest rider in a whole 118 years to finish on the podium of a Grand Tour. Although expected soon, few would've expected this to occur in his debut at the Spanish race.
“It’s a dream to be on the podium in this my first Vuelta España. I came in at the start taking it day by day and gaining experience, not really knowing what my limits were and I’m thrilled I could do this result with this great group of guys," Ayuso told reporters after completing the three-week race in Madrid. His third place in the race made history, as he completed the feat at an even younger age than Tadej Pogacar who has had a very similar achievement three years ago in his debut Grand Tour.
UAE were riding on individual goals throughout the race as often Ayuso and Almeida raced their own race in the mountains, Marc Soler battled for stage wins and the KOM classification, and Brandon McNulty was absent from contention in the mountains. Despite this, the battle ahead for the red jersey saw the team without pressure to work, as Ayuso also withstood the attacks from Miguel Ángel López to keep his third place - obtained in the 17th stage as Primoz Roglic abandoned the race following a crash.
"We raced really well for the whole three weeks and finished it off well today with Molano was the icing on the cake. It was perfect". Besides his third place, UAE Team Emirates enjoyed the fifth place of João Almeida, climbed to the top of the team standings and supercombative with Marc Soler, and won two stages with Soler himself and Juan Sebastián Molano on the final day.
His 2023 calendar is far from decided, however the talent the Spaniard has shown this year is undeniable, and his talent in the Grand Tours may see him become an even more important weapon in the team's plans to conquer future Grand Tours.
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