“If we win, I’ll head to sign-on with the flag” - Juan Ayuso keeping one eye on Spain and France World Cup showdown during Tour de France
Cycling
The Tour de France 2026 enters its second week on Tuesday, but there’s also room in the bunch to sneak a look at the football World Cup. One of the most invested in Spain vs France is Juan Ayuso, who didn’t hesitate to make a promise if La Roja reach the final.
Lidl-Trek’s leader, locked in the fight for the podium at the Grande Boucle, told AS he’ll mark a Spanish win in a very specific way. “If Spain win, I’ll go up to sign-on with the Spanish flag.”
The gesture would come before stage 11 of the Tour, on a day with added significance for the hosts, as the match falls on July 14th, France’s Bastille Day. While the yellow jersey battle dominates the agenda, the football buzz has taken hold at the Tour. Ayuso posed in a retro 1996 Spain shirt and made clear he’s closely following the national team’s run.
That mood has reached the Lidl-Trek hotel too. The team’s press officer, Amy, even has a Lamine Yamal sticker in her phone case, a sign of the excitement Spain have stirred across much of the peloton. Before becoming one of Spanish cycling’s brightest talents, Ayuso also dreamt of shining on the pitch.
As a kid, first in the United States and later in Madrid, he played football as a right-back. He even came through Canillas’ youth ranks, playing matches at the Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas, before choosing cycling for good. That decision ultimately propelled him to the world elite, where he is now tackling his second Tour de France and his first as an undisputed team leader.
Juan Ayuso, Lidl-Trek rider
In the thick of the Tour de France podium fight
After the rest day, Ayuso remains fully engaged in the battle for the general classification podium. The Spaniard currently sits fifth, just seven seconds off third place, held by his former teammate Isaac del Toro.
There’s optimism within Lidl-Trek about his chances, though they believe the race will be settled mainly in the final week, especially across the demanding Alpine stages and the double ascent of Alpe d’Huez.
With Tadej Pogačar seemingly on course for another Tour triumph and Jonas Vingegaard favoured for second, Ayuso’s ambitions to finish in the top three remain intact. Before turning his mind back to the mountains, though, he’ll keep an eye on Spain vs France. And if La Roja deliver, he has already promised how he’ll celebrate it in front of the entire peloton.
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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