"The plan was all in for Joao" - UAE DS evades the sore Ayuso topic after Almeida's victory on Angliru

The Vuelta a España 2025 has experienced this Friday a drastic change of script. João Almeida has defeated Jonas Vingegaard in the queen stage with the final ascent up the mythical Alto de l'Angliru. The Portuguese achieved this victory thanks to a tremendous work of his UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammates. But again, except Juan Ayuso.

"It's crazy, we had a plan in the bus, we really strongly believed Joao could beat Jonas," Felix Großchartner told Eurosport. "It's crazy that he did it, but he did a fantastic job.

"Our plan was to take control of the race two kilometres from the top on the second last climb [the Cordal] because the descent is complicated, then control the entrance to the Angliru as well.

"Jay [Vine] did an amazing pull, and it was nice see that there weren't so many guys left. It's the second time I've done the Angliru, and today I think it became a bit steeper!"

Earlier in the day, Joxean Matxín made it clear that even Juan Ayuso was going to work for João Almeida from today's stage. No more chasing stages from the breakaway. So it was surprising to see the Spaniard drop on the previous climb, disengaging from the fight between his leader and Jonas Vingegaard.

However, in statements after the stage, Matxín did not mention Juan Ayuso:

"The plan was all in for Joao, do a hard rhythm, wait with Ivo in front at the start of the Angliru to do the work at the beginning. Also Jay (Vine), Felix (Grossschartner). Domen Novak did a spectacular job. Everyone has done amazing, and Joao is always there. To win ahead of Vingegaard on such a mythical climb is just awesome," he began.

"It was spectacular, pinch me to wake me up. We knew it was important to go out in the corner ahead in the last 400 meters, it has gone up with a brutal pace. We took the responsibility in the Cordal because we knew we had to take it. It was the first battle for the overall, we lost 46 seconds, there's still the Vuelta to go," he added.

"On the Angliru we didn't talk to him anymore, obviously. He was pedaling quite a bit. We simply told him that his parents were at the finish, and that he had to fight for the stage. Whether Vingegaard stayed or not was no longer up to him. He had to do his best, and the truth is that he deserved it from the beginning to the end. He dominated the Angliru and was the fair winner," Matxín continued, explaining the development of the final climb.

"It's important because we are racing for Joao. Until now we considered them to be breakaway stages, and from today we're never going to try. The work and tactics have gone perfectly, Almeida's legs have been impressive, and let him know that we are all with him," Matxín said, perhaps as a message to Juan Ayuso who will no longer be able to fight for stages if he is to follow UAE's orders.