Ayuso hits back at 'ridiculous' Skjelmose question and backs big guns for Tour de France

Juan Ayuso had to come out fighting before the start of stage 4 at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on Wednesday, when fresh questions about his working relationship with Mattias Skjelmose came his way in the mixed zone. The Spaniard crossed the finish line of Tuesday's team time trial alongside his Danish teammate.

Lidl-Trek recorded the fourth-fastest time in the stage 3 TTT, 32 seconds behind winners Visma | Lease a Bike. Netcompany INEOS and EF Education-EasyPost were quicker, but Lidl-Trek did take time back on Decathlon CMA CGM and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.

"We took time on some riders and lost some to others. We're somewhere in between, but we're sitting fifth and sixth in the overall standings. That's a good sign heading into the weekend," Ayuso said before the start of stage 4 in the mixed zone.

"I think we rode a good time trial. We were missing big names like Mads Pedersen and Mathias Vacek — they're going to make a real difference at the Tour de France. Everyone rode well yesterday, gave everything, and can be proud of themselves," Ayuso added, in generous praise of his teammates.

What did Tuesday's team time trial reveal about how the race picture shapes up for both the Tour de France and the rest of the week in France? Ayuso was measured on both fronts.

"I think the Tour [de France] time trial will be very different. It's shorter, and it will be completely flat until the final little climb. You have to approach it completely differently from here, where it was hard from the start and you really had to ride at one consistent pace to avoid losing teammates. The last three days here are very tough as well, so I don't think the time trial will make a big difference."

"It was good to have done one, to get to know your teammates better and to see how you work together. After Paris-Nice, this race and plenty of training, we'll be ready for the Tour de France TTT."

The pleasant interview closed on a less comfortable note, with a question arriving from the Danish press contingent. "Do you expect to find any answers here about your working relationship and who is the stronger of the two?" — a pointed reference to the shared leadership arrangement between Ayuso and Skjelmose, both now and at the Tour.

The question carries obvious weight. When Ayuso made the switch from UAE Team Emirates-XRG to Lidl-Trek over the winter, Skjelmose had initially come out sharply. He said he had not been informed of the transfer and expressed doubts about how the roles would be divided. "They've been saying for a few years that they want to build a team around me, but I don't think they brought him in as a domestique," Skjelmose said at the time. He also stated: "The team never officially notified me."

Ayuso had said he understood Skjelmose's concerns, and by 2026 the two had raced and trained together extensively. There is no longer any issue between them — and Ayuso made that very clear to the Danish journalist. "To be honest, I think these are ridiculous questions. We are teammates and we are here to help each other. If one of us is stronger, that person will go for the result. I see no dilemma."

Author: David Bavin-Hobbs - [email protected]