"The leader is Juan Ayuso, no doubt" - Alberto Contador insists Adam Yates must sacrifice himself for UAE teammate at the Giro d'Italia
Cycling
With Tadej Pogacar not returning to defend his Maglia Rosa in 2025, UAE Team Emirates - XRG head to the Giro d'Italia with what is, on paper at least, a two-pronged general classification attack of Juan Ayuso and Adam Yates. According to the Spanish former Giro winner Alberto Contador however, it's solely his compatriot that the team should be working for.
"Ayuso has won everything he's raced this year, except for the first race, where he made a mistake on a roundabout. That’s the reality," analyses Contador for Eurosport, during the Spanish broadcaster's coverage of stage 1 at the 2025 Volta a Catalunya. "Ayuso has earned it. We saw in Milano-Torino how Adam Yates sacrificed himself for Isaac del Toro. I believe that with the results backing up Juan Ayuso, he has fully deserved it. The only thing is that if the first crucial day comes and he falters, then UAE will obviously adjust and go with another leader."
With wins at Tirreno-Adriatico and Trofeo Laigueglia on Italian roads already this year, Ayuso has indeed started the 2025 campaign in electric form. Because of this, Contador is confident that any idea of dual leadership for UAE Team Emirates - XRG at the Giro d'Italia will be over barring any further incidents. "The leader is Ayuso, no doubt," stresses the Spaniard firmly. "However, depending on race conditions, weather, or illness, you can’t put everything on one card."
Despite Ayuso's strong early season form, the looming figure of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe leader and 2023 Giro d'Italia champion Primoz Roglic poses a very considerable challenge for the Spanish star. According to Contador though, even the legendary Roglic may have trouble dealing with Ayuso in current form. "Given how he's riding, I wouldn’t dare put him behind Roglic," Contador concludes his rave review of his younger compatriot.
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- Yeah, looks slow up there.Jumpyjohn28-03-2025
- lol His aim was well off! MVP was well past him before the guy decided to spit.Cyclingsbestfan28-03-2025
- But you know that’s what makes this website live ;-)Mistermaumau28-03-2025
- I hope he stays upright too and I hope that in this years Paris Roubaix we get a proper good old fashioned man against man race. Can't wait!Cyclingsbestfan28-03-2025
- What can you expect from a guy like that. Probably home now enjoying his pseudo fame before his evening session of paid sex chatting.Mistermaumau28-03-2025
- There is a lot of wisdom in some of our older people and some have the wisdom to use it wisely. Others not so much.......Cyclingsbestfan28-03-2025
- I loved De Vlaeminck back in the day, but I have to agree with him: he probably is a little burned out. I don't see him winning much this year.
Barney28-03-2025 - Tadej is 26 year old, Mr. Sour. And now, as you said, because the money, the cycling is extremely professionalized and competitive: winning is very hard, even for very talented riders.
maria2024202428-03-2025 - How many grand tours did Vlaeminck enter/finish let alone win? This article gives "old man yells at cloud" vibesPedalmasher28-03-2025
- I think Hinault is right: Pogacar is the first rider since he and Merckx who can win such a wide variety of races with such audacity and verve. I hope by the time he is done, Pog is widely acknowledged at the greatest of all time. Unlike Merckx and Hinault who were (probably necessarily in their era) pretty unpleasant characters, Pog is a cool, refreshingly humble guy who routinely thanks his teammates after they've taken their last bleedout pull for the day, gives bottles to little kids in the middle of a solo breakaway, walks around and congratulates his competitors at the finish, win or lose. There will always be those within the peloton and fanbase who resent his success, but he seems genuinely well-liked. He seems like the antidote to past other dominant champions who still inspire bitterness or disappointment. That said, Paris-Roubaix is a race that is both dangerous and requires a lot of specialized experience. I hope he stays upright.Barney28-03-2025