"Once he has achieved that freedom, why do you come to protest?" - Juan Ayuso under fire from Pedro Delgado

Juan Ayuso had his departure from UAE Team Emirates - XRG surprise announced two days ago and was quite unhappy with the timing the team chose to put out the news, and did not hide it during yesterday's stage start. The unusual rant against his team caught Pedro Delgado by surprise, who comments on the matter of his compatriot.

Ayuso accused UAE of publishing the statement in the middle of La Vuelta to hurt him: "I know perfectly well why they did it: to damage my image again. I don't share that statement at all". And he went further by getting heated with the press: "Sometimes you can't when everything works more like a dictatorship, with unilateral decisions imposed on you".

Thus, Perico Delgado, winner of the 1988 Tour de France and RTVE commentator since 1995, does not understand the need for Juan Ayuso to air the dirty laundry and bad blood with UAE once he had achieved his goal: the letter of freedom for 2026.

"Honestly, I don't understand anything. Ayuso wanted freedom to leave and they gave it to him, so I don't understand the statements. If he got what he wanted, why talk," the Spanish legend argued. It is rumoured that the 22-year old is in talks to join Lidl-Trek next season.

"Today or tomorrow, it doesn't matter. What he was fighting for is to leave. Why add fuel to the fire when it is not necessary? He had proposals last year and did not leave because he had a contract. He changed managers and has achieved what seemed difficult. Once he has achieved that freedom, why do you come to protest?" Delgado commented on RTVE.

His colleague Carlos de Andrés, without wanting to get too involved, did not quite understand what Juan Ayuso said either: "Personally, I was a little surprised by his statements. There must have been something, envyingly".

The Spaniard's dynamics in this race have changed quite often, but he has said to be more relieved now that the news is out and so he can focus on his race without the speculation circling around him on the daily.