"Pogacar is on another level" - Juan Ayuso overlooks Tour de France victory but jumps into white jersey
CyclingTuesday, 14 July 2026 at 18:36
Juan Ayuso delivered one of his finest rides at the Tour de France. The Spaniard finished fourth on stage 10 after hanging with the best on a brutally demanding day and reclaimed the white jersey as best young rider.
Lidl-Trek had a strong day with both Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose finishgin in the chasing GC group and winning time on Jonas Vingegaard (a few seconds) and Isaac del Toro, who lost significant time on the Massif Central.
For much of the final climb he even sat virtually third overall, with Isaac del Toro dropped from the favourites’ group. However, Remco Evenepoel’s late surge carried the Belgian over the line ahead of Ayuso and into third overall, leaving the Lidl-Trek leader fourth, as he started the day.
Despite falling short of a podium coup, the Lidl-Trek captain emerged strengthened. He put time into Isaac del Toro and confirmed he is fully in the fight for the places of honour in Paris.
“Pogacar is riding a different race”
Ayuso expressed real satisfaction with his team’s work and acknowledged that, for now, Tadej Pogacar is competing on another plane.
“I’m very happy with how the day went. It was a super hard stage and the whole team was incredible. Everyone did an exceptional job and it was a very good day. I’m pleased to have been up there, gained time on some rivals and finished in the front group,” he said.
The Spaniard was equally clear when assessing the Tour leader’s level.
“I think, for now, Pogacar is on another level. He’s basically riding a different race to ours. The rest of us are the ones fighting for the podium, and we’re very evenly matched. It’s nice to wear this white jersey again,” he said.
Juan Ayuso at the 2026 Tour de France
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“Five or six riders fighting for two spots”
Ayuso stressed the value of taking time on several direct rivals, while insisting the podium fight has only just begun.
“Every day you have to give everything, because we’re seeing five or six riders fighting for two podium spots. It’s going to be a really hard battle to step onto the podium in Paris. We just have to focus on taking it day by day, and Mattias Skjelmose also put in a great ride. We’re very happy,” he noted.
“I didn’t have the legs to pull”
During the chase after Pogacar’s attack, Ayuso rarely came through in the pursuing group, a decision he explained after the finish.
“In the valley I was already completely on the limit. When Jonas accelerated, he was already taking us to the maximum even before the descent. I was on the wheel the whole time, holding between 450 and 460 watts, so I was doing everything I could just to hang on. I would have loved to seize the chance to move onto the overall podium, but I simply didn’t have the legs,” he concluded.
With the white jersey back on his shoulders and only a step from the overall podium, Ayuso heads into the high mountains with intact confidence. The major Alpine and Pyrenean stages will decide a contest that promises fireworks between Evenepoel, Seixas, Ayuso himself, Del Toro, Skjelmose and the rest of the contenders; while Pogacar appears to be racing in a league of his own.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- Nah, in Belgium it is: On a climb 3.5 km at 5.5%, easier than the Cipressa, where Mathieu van der Poel can keep up with Pogačar, Evenepoel was dropped by Vingegaard's constant tempo.
Rafionain-Glas14-07-2026 - Fantastic words, my friend (bruins30)! Chapeau!Lobz7714-07-2026
- I doubt he'll win tomorrow. Jake Stewart is leading out Biniam Girmay. Fred Wright is probably the only rider who could try something. Fortunately for us, and for everyone else in the World apart from Argentinians and some villages in India, no English rider should be winning tomorrow.Rafionain-Glas14-07-2026
- Wym "he can make up some of this" 😂, he was only 3-9 seconds behind and then caught up and was the best of the rest behind pogbruins3014-07-2026
- At least last year, jonas a little bit more interesting rider than this year, he is more explosive. Visma also a lot more passive this year compare to last yearZamorano14-07-2026
- I would like to say to all the French people...yes, the FRENCH...only the ones that booed Pogi... SHAME ON YOU!!! Are you fools suggesting that Pogi has done something wrong, unethical, or foolish, and that he should genuinely feel guilty or embarrassed about his "behavior," that he should have a superiority complex??? If you think so, then I have very harsh words for you, but I won't say them, because I would be banned for the rest of my life. I know their are also good French people, and I'm apologizing to them.mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales14-07-2026
- He did most of the work but he was at the back for quite a while too. Like at Tourmalet he stopped pedaling a few meters before the line losing speed and head down. He never used to do that.Cyclingnut14-07-2026
- I would like to say to all the French people...yes, the FRENCH...only the ones that booed Pogi... SHAME ON YOU!!! Are you fools suggesting that Pogi has done something wrong, unethical, or foolish, and that he should genuinely feel guilty or embarrassed about his "behavior," that he should have a superiority complex??? If you think so, then I have very harsh words for you, but I won't say them, because I would be banned for the rest of my life.mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales14-07-2026
- H’s been leading the chasers since the start. Hard to tell how he’ll evolve, is he just missing some sharpness from post Giro recovery or is he tired from it, nothing concrete yet but in either case, he’s still doing well against all the fresh young guns after a Giro win.Mistermaumau14-07-2026
- Pidcock?Mistermaumau14-07-2026
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