Should Ayuso consider a future without UAE Team Emirates? "He wants to be the star of his team"

The Australian ex-sprinter sees the ‘big three’ continuing their dominance in stage racing for years to come. "Pogacar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard will remain at the top of the sport for quite some time, but there are also other riders who can develop," he told Eurosport, as quoted by Marca. "Riders like Pogacar, Evenepoel, and even someone like Peter Sagan are exceptional talents who burst onto the scene and immediately win the biggest races. This kind of rapid progress is not normal; it doesn’t happen every year."

It is crucial for the next tier of riders to step up and close the gap. Ayuso is one such rider, having been on the verge of breaking into that elite level since his sensational Vuelta a España performance in 2022. "He has shown that he is a strong cyclist, but sometimes I question his temperament," McEwen said. Last year, the 22-year-old Spaniard attracted negative attention with his behavior during the Tour de France.

The competition within UAE Team Emirates - XRG is fierce, especially with the unstoppable Pogacar as the team's undisputed leader. This raises the question of whether Ayuso should look elsewhere. "He wants to be the star of his team, but maybe he's not in the right team for that. There are several talented young riders, but I haven't seen the next superstar who will stand shoulder to shoulder with Pogacar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard."

One rider who performs well but has fewer superstar ambitions is João Almeida. McEwen is a big fan of the Portuguese rider and predicts a strong season ahead. "I think Almeida can finish on the podium in both the Tour and the Vuelta. He has shown us a lot over the past few years and continues to deliver solid performances. He is a very consistent rider."