Professional cyclist Juan Ayuso prematurely ends long-term contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG due to disagreements in strategic direction.
In a surprising turn of events, Juan Ayuso, the young cycling talent, has announced his departure from UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the end of the 2025 season. The team's CEO, Mauro Gianetti, confirmed the decision, stating it was consistent with the team's values of continuity, group harmony, and building a winning team.
Ayuso, who has spent his entire WorldTour career with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, joining in mid-2021 from Colpack, expressed his gratitude to the team for their support and opportunities in a press release. However, the reasons for Ayuso's departure include differences in development plans and sporting philosophy between him and the team.
The team's announcement regarding Ayuso's departure mentioned Tadej Pogacar as their main focus for the GC leader, with João Almeida and Isaac del Toro as secondary and tertiary options. Ayuso's performance as a GC leader, despite winning a mountain stage in the Vuelta a España, has been less successful, and he has faced criticism, including recently from teammate João Almeida.
Rumors suggest that Lidl-Trek could be a potential landing spot for Ayuso after his departure from UAE Team Emirates-XRG. However, Ayuso's destination for 2026 and beyond is not yet confirmed, as several teams are interested in his signature.
The decision for Ayuso to leave UAE Team Emirates-XRG was made because he felt it was the right time to continue his development elsewhere. Ayuso originally extended his contract with the team back in August 2022, but the decision to end it early was mutual.
During the Vuelta a España, Ayuso lost 21 minutes on GC on stage 9 and cited being "quite tired" as the reason he couldn't help the team. This performance, coupled with the differences in vision and philosophy, led to the decision to part ways.
Ayuso will complete the 2023 Vuelta a España with UAE Team Emirates-XRG before moving on to his next chapter. He will need a big reset in 2026 after ending his contract early and failing to make the planned long-term partnership with UAE Team Emirates-XRG work out.
As Ayuso embarks on this new journey, the cycling world eagerly awaits to see where his talents will take him next.
