Now still (co)leader in the Vuelta, but will Ayuso leave UAE already this winter? One team has the best chance

It’s no secret that the relationship between UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Ayuso hasn’t been smooth runnings. The Spaniard made a big impression at 19 with a podium finish on his Vuelta debut. A year later, he finished fourth, but in 2024, cracks began to show in the rider-team dynamic. Entering the Tour de France as a shadow co-leader and super-domestique, Ayuso clashed with Almeida, who felt Ayuso wasn’t doing enough work.

Ayuso later abandoned the Tour and returned in 2025 as team leader for the Giro d’Italia. Things started well, he won a stage and put pressure on rival Primoz Roglic. But several crashes and even a bee sting took their toll. Once again, he was forced to abandon the race, again, watching as teammate Isaac Del Toro stole the spotlight in his place.

A starting spot in the Vuelta seemed out of the question: in principle, UAE Team Emirates does not let young riders ride two grand tours in one year. The ambitious Ayuso seemed a bit trapped that way, but in August he suddenly got a call. Because Tadej Pogacar, who was initially supposed to ride the Vuelta, had to cancel. And so there was a spot for the Spaniard. He did not have a perfect preparation. The nonchalant press conference before the start in the Vuelta was telling.

For a top talent like Ayuso, it’s not ideal to feel your position slipping. Pogacar looms over the team like a shadow, and teammates like Almeida and Del Toro make it difficult for the Spaniard to stake his claim. Last month, the news broke that Ayuso had hired a new agent. Was that a sign he might want to leave? Maybe not, but La Gazzetta dello Sport now suggests there might indeed be something going on.

While Ayuso is under contract through 2028, we’ve seen that early exits are possible, just look at Remco Evenepoel, who didn’t finish his contract with Soudal Quick-Step. Whether the 22-year-old Spaniard, who turns 23 in September, will take a similar step remains to be seen. But according to transfer guru Ciro Scognamiglio, there is definitely interest in the climber.

According to the Italian journalist, teams like Movistar and INEOS Grenadiers are lining up for Ayuso. However, those teams appear to be out of luck. But a third team seems to have a much better shot. If Ayuso does indeed leave, Lidl-Trek appears to be the frontrunner. The American team boasts world-class talent in nearly every area, but lacks a proven GC contender capable of reaching a grand tour podium. Giulio Ciccone is inconsistent and crashes frequently, Mathias Skjelmose hasn’t reached the necessary level yet, and much was expected of Tao Geoghegan Hart, but he’s a shadow of the rider who won the Giro in 2020.

That’s why Ayuso would be the perfect rider to fill that gap. Whether he will actually leave is far from certain, his contract makes a transfer complicated. But does he really want to spend three more years feeling stuck at UAE? That seems unlikely too.