No Vuelta for Ayuso, who has a clearly mapped out schedule following a disappointing Tour de France

Juan Ayuso had hoped for more in the Tour de France, but will have to look ahead to new goals with Lidl-Trek. The Spanish climber will not be competing in the Vuelta a España, where he once had his big breakthrough. Instead, we won’t see him back in action until September, and his next goals are clear.

Ayuso joined Lidl-Trek amid much fanfare following his painful split with UAE Team Emirates. The 23-year-old Spaniard signed a long-term contract with the German team and got off to a very successful start there: he won his very first race. He finished second twice and won a stage in the Tour of the Algarve, which also secured him the overall victory.

After that, he had a string of bad luck. He crashed out of Paris-Nice, and he was also unable to finish the Tour of the Basque Country. In the Tour Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes, things were looking up, and he proved to be the second-best climber in the race behind Isaac Del Toro. It was good preparation for his main goal, the Tour de France. However, a seventh-place finish in Paris was the best he could manage.

The coveted podium spot wasn't in the cards. But the young climber knew after the finish that this was just the beginning. “This Tour is part of the process. Despite my poor condition and fatigue, I fought through it. It will make me stronger when I have the legs I want for the Tour in the future. If everything goes well, we can aim for great things.”

Returning to the Tour for more is the goal for the future, but first, this season must be finished. From the start, participating in the Vuelta a España was essentially out of the question, and since he finished the Tour, it’s clear he won’t be at the start in Monaco. In 2022, he finished third in the Vuelta a España at the age of 19. This made him the second-youngest rider ever to stand on the podium of a Grand Tour.

But what exactly are Ayuso’s goals, then, if he isn’t going to race in his home country? According to the Spanish newspaper AS, we won’t see him back on the race course until September. He has clearly outlined his goals: he’ll resume racing in Canada, in the one-day races GP Québec and GP Montréal. Those races will then serve as the perfect stepping stone to the World Championships in the latter city.

After that, Ayuso will travel to Slovenia for the European Cycling Championships. Last year, Ayuso finished eighth at the World Championships and sixth at the European Championships, but he’s now aiming for medals. After the international title races, he will wrap up the season in Italy with the Tour of Lombardy. And make no mistake: if he lines up at the start there, it will be the first Monument the young climber has ever competed in.