"The idea is to make my debut in the Tour de France" - Juan Ayuso planning big career-first in 2024

21-year-old Juan Ayuso is one of most talented prospects in Grand Tour cycling today. Both of his two previous three-week stage races have come at the Vuelta a Espana however, finishing 3rd in 2022 and 4th in 2023. Next year though, he hopes to make his mark at the Tour de France for the first time.

“I just got back from Dubai with the team. The idea is to make my debut in the Tour next year and see how it goes,” the UAE Team Emirates rider told EFE in a pre-Madrid Critérium interview. "Pogacar is currently number one and it is normal that he goes to the Tour as the leader."

The possibility of a Juan Ayuso, Tadej Pogacar, two-pronged attack for UAE Team Emirates could go some way in tackling the seemingly unbeatable Jumbo-Visma and Jonas Vingegaard. "As we saw in the Vuelta, it is smartest to have different riders there," Ayuso says, noting Sepp Kuss' victory ahead of his supposed team leaders.

“Of course I would love to participate in the Olympic Games and the World Championship, which might suit me even better," Ayuso adds, referencing the rest of his plans for 2024. "What I want is to be in good shape heading into the Games, so that the national coach can take me along. But I would love to go to both events and have that in mind.”