The first months of 2023 are producing great performances from the main peloton stars: Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Roglic… everyone is winning in this initial stretch of the year, but among the most prominent riders, there is one who still hasn’t even debuted: Juan Ayuso (20 years old). His debut was scheduled for the beginning of February, at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, but tendinitis left him out. What seemed like a simple issue that would pass did not disappear for the rider, as he complained of pain in the Achilles tendon of his right leg when training intensity increased. For now, he continues with his recovery, and this will be what marks his return, for which there is still no fixed date.
Joxean Matxín (52 years old), manager of team UAE, to which Juan belongs, and who has been alongside the rider from Jávea since his cadet days, explains the current situation to AS. “One has to go step by step, with patience. Progress is currently good, and I have a trusted person on the team who does exhaustive monitoring,” said Matxín, who admits: “I talk to Ayuso every day. Standing by him when everything is fine is simple, but where you really have to be is in moments like this.”
La Vuelta, the great goal of the year
For this reason, UAE has prepared a plan to prepare his return. The rider must complete four weeks of “quality” training at the highest level, and they are already fully immersed in the first. In the middle of this period, Matxin, the rider and the rest of the staff from UAE will speak to assess sensations, data… “He is young, he has to be patient. He is a mentally mature rider, so we don’t have to be holding him back excessively. He knows that it is for his own good,” said Matxin, who does not set an exact return date for one of his stars: “It’s hard to know yet, but the end of April could be it. We don’t put pressure on him or tell him an exact race, because it can also be a way of trying to force things. It is not our intention. His great challenge this year will be La Vuelta, and having this medium- to long-term objective also gives Juan himself some peace of mind.”
In 2023, UAE has 15 wins, more than anyone. Nine of them are from Pogacar. “Ayuso sees that the team is winning and that he also has that level to add victories. That may be the hardest thing at the moment, but he will return to a great level. Jan Polanc and Álvaro Hodeg are the other two riders who are yet to make their debut this year. From a staff of 30, well, it’s not bad, but hopefully everyone will be back in action soon,” adds Matxin, who sets course for Milan-San Remo to be together with Pogacar. For his part, Ayuso has not competed since the last Vuelta, in which he finished third with a record of precocity.