Juan Ayuso ruled out of the Ardennes classics after hellish month on the bike - Mattias Skjelmose handed the leadership

Juan Ayuso started off his time with Lidl-Trek under perfect conditions and with a very promising set of results, but over the past month and a half, his spring has been plagued by injuries and illnesses. Now it might be over as he is forced to skip the Ardennes classics due to it.

The Spaniard spent several years with UAE Team Emirates - XRG and, after a rocky 2025, the two agreed to end their contract - something which was then seized by the now-German team, who was looking to sign new riders into its Grand Tour block. Derek Gee later joined Ayuso as a new team leader.

He began his season at the Volta ao Algarve and couldn't have hoped for a better debut, jumping into the race lead on stage 2, the first summit finish at the Alto da Fóia, and then taking a stage and overall win at the Alto do Malhão to finish the race - beating none other than Paul Seixas who has recently dominated Itzulia Basque Country. However Ayuso, in the yellow jersey, then crashed out of Paris-Nice on stage 4, fruit of a high-speed crash in the wind-affected day that crowned Jonas Vingegaard in the lead. Whilst he avoided fractures, it stopped his momentum, and at the start of Itzulia it was clear the Spaniard was not at his best, finishing only 38th in the initial time trial.

He would lose time in the following days and abandoned the race with gastrointestinal issues. Tests revealed he was suffering from a viral infection, from which he has not properly recovered, and thus is not ready to return to competition.

Lidl-Trek confirmed this with a statement this morning, informing that the Spaniard would not race the initially scheduled Ardennes classics: "Unfortunately Juan Ayuso will miss the upcoming Ardennes Classics. Medical tests after Itzulia Basque Country showed a recent viral infection and the Spaniard is not yet ready to return to competition. Feel better soon, Juan! We will miss you".