Juan Ayuso : “These couple of months without racing have given me the opportunity to really reset”
June 4 th 2026 - 15:40
- Three weeks in Sierra Nevada have enabled Juan Ayuso to rebuild his form after an eventful start to the season which saw him triumph in the Volta ao Algarve, crash out from Paris-Nice and abandon the Tour of the Basque Country due to sickness.
- The ‘enfant terrible’ of Spanish cycling is set to lead Lidl-Trek’s squad in the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, which like every year will mark the return to racing for many stars with the Tour de France in sight.
- The TTT in Perreux and the summit finish atop Plateau de Solaison are the two key stages of the French stage race, and will both be excellent opportunities to rehearse two of the major challenges in the upcoming Grande Boucle.
2026 was to be Juan Ayuso’s coming-of-age season - and it still is. A generational talent in the Spanish peloton, he spent his first five years as a pro in the UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad. Over this spell, Ayuso proved his lust for victory by scoring 16 wins including the 2024 Tour of the Basque Country, the 2025 Tirreno-Adriatico, and two stages in last year’s edition of La Vuelta, when the Emirati team announced he was going to leave its ranks. Ayuso departed in search of greener pastures and a leadership role to allow him to express both his winning instinct and his grand tour ambitions. He found it over at Lidl-Trek, a team immersed in the process of becoming an even stronger force in the peloton, revamping both its rider roster and its staff.
How do you feel heading into this Tour Auvergne - Rhône - Alpes?
I’m really looking forward to pinning on a number again at the Tour Auvergne - Rhône - Alpes. The focus has really shifted towards July - including recon rides of some key stages of the upcoming Tour de France in the Alps with the team - and this race marks the start of our final preparations towards that big goal, including the chance to race up Plateau de Solaison as we will do again in the Grande Boucle.
It’s been nearly two months since you last pinned a number on your back. Did you need time to reset after so many hiccups?
My 2026 season has been a mix, as I got some good results and then suffered because of crashes and illnesses. These couple of months without racing have given me the opportunity to really reset and I’m looking forward to getting going again.
“I hope to be a key animator for the GC battle”
What do you expect from the Tour Auvergne - Rhône - Alpes? Does competing with other rising stars like Paul Seixas and Isaac del Toro add an extra layer of excitement to the return to racing?
It’s not going to be an easy race. There is some tough competition, so I’m sure it will be an exciting race for people to watch. I hope to be a key animator for the GC battle.
How relevant is the team time trial in Perreux? There is a similar one to open up the Tour de France in Barcelona…
Getting another opportunity to race a TTT before July will be important as we know that the starting TTT in Barcelona will be key for anyone targeting the GC and I think as a team we have a strong chance of being there fighting for the stage win as well. It has been a key focus for the team too in terms of training, so it will be good to get another in-race experience before July.
Juan Ayuso
Born on 16 September 2002 in Barcelona (Spain), he grew up in Atlanta (USA) and Javea (Alicante - Spain) and now lives in Andorra.
Teams: UAE Team Emirates XRG (2021-2025), Lidl-Trek (2026-present).
Landmark victories:
- Volta ao Algarve (2026)
- Two stages of La Vuelta (2025)
- One stage of Giro d’Italia (2025)
- Tirreno-Adriatico (2025)
- Tour of the Basque Country (2024)