“We don't have the answer”: Lidl-Trek coach admits mystery over Juan Ayuso’s disappointing first season

Juan Ayuso's first season with Lidl-Trek has left his coaching team searching for explanations, with coach Aritz Arberas admitting that the Spaniard's disappointing race results do not reflect the work he has put in during training. After joining the team with high expectations, Ayuso has struggled to maintain consistent form throughout 2026, prompting a detailed investigation into what has gone wrong.

The 24-year-old began the season with an encouraging victory at the Volta ao Algarve, beating Paul Seixas and João Almeida to claim the overall title. That result suggested he could quickly establish himself as a leading figure in his new team, but a series of setbacks disrupted his campaign and prevented him from building on that promising start.

A heavy crash while leading Paris-Nice was followed by illness that affected his performances at Itzulia Basque Country and the Critérium du Dauphiné. Although he managed to finish third overall at the latter race, his season never developed the consistency expected of a rider of his calibre.

Speaking to Spanish journalist Daniel Arribas, Arberas acknowledged that the discrepancy between Ayuso's preparation and his performances in competition has become a major concern. “Something is happening, that's clear. Something isn't right, because what we're seeing isn't normal,” the coach said.

“The verifiable data we have from training doesn't match up. The sessions have gone well, Juan has made sacrifices and invested an enormous amount of effort into his preparation, with altitude camps and specific training for the World Championships. But then he gets to the races and things don't work out. His performances are not what you would expect from a rider of his level.”

The contrast between Ayuso's training figures and his results has left the coaching staff without a clear explanation. According to Arberas, the Spaniard has continued to work hard throughout the season, making the disappointing outcomes particularly difficult to understand.

“He was the one who asked to go to China,” Arberas explained. “He is the first to recognise that the year has not gone well, and he took the initiative to offer himself for Guangxi and try to win right up until the final day of the season.”

That determination has not prevented frustration from building. “He's sad, of course. He's an ambitious rider and an extremely hard worker,” the coach said. “When we speak after races, he asks me, 'Aritz, what do you think? What do you think is happening?' And I tell him, 'I don't know, Juan. We don't have the answer.'”

With the racing season over, Lidl-Trek's immediate priority is to investigate the possible causes of Ayuso's difficulties. “We're currently in the analysis phase, trying to identify the problem and understand what's going on. We're looking at everything, from his health and possible medical issues to the training data.”

Despite the uncertainty, the coach does not believe Ayuso should lower his ambitions for 2027. “Juan's goals for 2027 have to be the same as they were in 2026: compete in a Grand Tour, race one-day classics and win week-long stage races. That's what he has done in recent years as a professional,” Arberas said. “He's a top rider, someone people expect to win races, and he's fully aware of that.”

Arberas also defended Ayuso's ambition to compete for the world title, an objective that has attracted criticism. “People criticised him a lot when he said last year that he wanted to win the World Championships. And that was his objective again this year. Why shouldn't Juan be able to win it when McNulty can?”

“He's not saying he wants to take a Tour de France victory away from Pogacar. He's saying he wants to give everything at the World Championships, which is an open race where he can play his cards.”

For Arberas, the disappointing results should not obscure the difficulties Ayuso has experienced throughout the campaign. “He's had an incredibly difficult year, and people don't realise that,” Arberas said. “He has suffered problems at the key moments of the season, and that has taken away a lot of his shine.”