"You can't gamble with a 21-year-old rider" - Alberto Contador gives his thoughts on Ayuso and Del Toro drama
Cycling
As they do every day, the pundits of Eurosport Spain have reviewed what happened in the gravel stage that has turned this Giro d'Italia on its head. Javier Ares and Alberto Contador put on the table and analysed the current leadership situation, which has taken another twist.
With Isaac del Toro in the pink jersey and Juan Ayuso second, the experienced Ares brought up the subject of who is now the UAE leader. Without Pogacar, UAE seems cursed to find themselves with a leadership headache.
"Ayuso comes out of this stage very reinforced because he has managed to distance Primoz Roglic by 1:12 in the overall. But what about Del Toro, what is the role that awaits the UAE team now seeing this Del Toro who in theory would be a fantastic wildcard to have him positioned there, but maybe he performs like the best or better in the high mountains. Blessed doubt, some would say, but not all. And that gives food for thought.
"The reflection is the doubt that will be generated in the team, especially during the rest day, about whether or not to bet on Isaac del Toro or continue to rely on the solvency and security that Ayuso can offer," said Ares.
Alberto Contador, for his part, praised Isaac del Toro's incredible first week of competition.
"He has always been in place, at key moments, in the face of possible attacks and so on, always prepared with that window open to be able to react at any given moment, I think that at some point he has been held back, if it were up to him at some stage he would have tried to move earlier and he is looking very good."
The two-time Corsa Rosa winner did not hide from the debate and gave his opinion on what could happen with UAE and the Giro leadership between Ayuso and Del Toro.
"What's going on? It's his first grand tour, you can't gamble with a 21-year-old rider who is in his first grand tour. I think what UAE is going to do is use all the names and try to save Adam Yates and Del Toro as much as possible, unless there's a moment when they have to make a decision and then they'll talk about it. They have information.
"If you tell me who you have to play with out of the two, Juan already has more grand tours, it's less risky. I don't want to say that Isaac del Toro is not capable of winning the Giro d'Italia because he can be. I don't think they're going to have that problem for the moment, they have to go through the days", concluded the rider from Pinta.
Ayuso o Del Toro... ¿habrá cambio de líder en UAE en las dos próximas semanas de #GirodItalia?
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) May 18, 2025
La opinión de @javierares y @albertocontador🎙️#LaMontonera | #LaCasadelCiclismo 🚴 pic.twitter.com/vhqky8fgaH
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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