'Long term contract with Lidl-Trek' - Juan Ayuso's departure from UAE seems more and more likely according to local report
Cycling
Another bombshell could soon be hitting the markets in pro cycling and that involves Juan Ayuso, yesterday's stage winner at the Vuelta a Espana. Whilst it has been circulating for a few weeks that the Spaniard could be leaving UAE Team Emirates - XRG soon despite his ongoing contract with the team, these have gained significant momentum now in the past few days at the Vuelta with a clear destination.
This has been advanced this Saturday by AS. Juan Ayuso is already on his way out of UAE Team Emirates-XRG it is argued, despite his victory in stage 7 of the Vuelta a España - his first in the Spanish Grand Tour. There seems to be no turning back, and he will "break" his contract until 2028 with the Emirati team to leave for the American team.
After the 2024 Tour de France the environment in the team regarding the Spaniard has not been the best, and with the presence of Tadej Pogacar, João Almeida and now also Isaac del Toro, there is simply no space to be a sole leader in a Grand Tour - whilst his status has also falled due to the results of his teammates.
Continuing with the information advanced by AS, the contract that Ayuso is going to sign with Lidl-Trek is of long duration. Already Ciro Scognamiglio, the specialist in 'mercato' of the Gazzetta dello Sport, advanced a week ago that the departure of the Spaniard at the end of the current season "was not impossible". Now, in the midst of the Vuelta a España 2025, it might have been finalized.
Lidl-Trek, going from strength to strength
Lidl-Trek's goal in the World Tour is to establish itself as a giant of the likes of Pogacar and Joao Almeida's UAE Team Emirates, Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike, or Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, which will have Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel together in 2026. Things are going very well in that respect within the American team.
Juan Ayuso has achieved 7 victories this season (out of 15 in his career). Despite some form problems (such as the Giro d'Italia), the Spaniard is undoubtedly one of the most promising riders in the peloton. At just 22 years of age, his future at Lidl looks exciting and could be its new big card to dispute Grand Tours.
But the key to Lidl-Trek's rise is that Ayuso will join a squad that already has world-class superstars. Mads Pedersen, this year, is one of the top 5 riders in the world. His talent for the classics, monuments, sprints and stage tours make him the team's benchmark star. In addition to the Dane, there is Jonathan Milan, currently the most outstanding sprinter in the peloton.
Behind, figures like Giulio Ciccone (who comes from winning the Clásica de San Sebastián and fighting for the overall in the Vuelta a España), Mattias Skjelmose, Thibau Nys, Mathias Vacek, Quinn Simmons, Daan Hoole or the very young Albert Philipsen complete a squad that, without any doubt, is already one of the 3 best in the World Tour.
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.
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