"The hardest blow was on my back" - Juan Ayuso still feeling the effects of neutral start crash
Cycling
The Vuelta a Espana has seen daily crashes and plenty riders suffering from injuries. Juan Ayuso was one of them and they persist as the riders enter the mountains for a set of decisive days.
“The hardest blow was on my back. But even though my back hurts, I still have to kick with my legs. Let's see if it will hurt less," Ayuso told Marca after stage 12. The Spaniard went down on the neutral start of stage 11 on what seemed to be an unsuspecting moment, but the injuries have continued. He sustained contusions in multiple parts of his body.
With the summit at Laguna Negra de Vinuesa being very conservative, the Spaniard could comfortably arrive in the GC group, and yesterday was a calm day in the peloton where he could settle into the new reality of his race. With two days to recover as much as possible, the UAE Team Emirates rider now hopes to find his best legs and not be hampered on a day that ends atop the Col du Tourmalet.
“The time trial to Valladolid was the first part and from the Tourmalet it will be a different race," he contnues. "It won't be easy to dethrone Kuss. Friday will be a very tactical stage, in which we have to show our strongest side.” Just off a stage win, UAE carry three weapons for the GC fight in second place Marc Soler, sixth placed João Almeida and Ayuso himself who is eighth 2:25 minutes down on Sepp Kuss.
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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.
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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)...
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- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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🇪🇸: @lavuelta Stage 13 🚩 Formigal. Huesca la Magia - 🏁 Col du Tourmalet , 135 km. ⏰: 13:50 - 17:30(CEST) ⚠️: Big climbing day in the Pyrenees, including the monstrous Col du Tourmalet(18.9km at 7.2%). 📺: @eurosport #LaVuelta23 #WeAreUAE
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