Updated September 24, 2025 07:01AM
Can Spain Stun Pogačar and Evenepoel? Juan Ayuso Thinks So: 'I Won't Settle for Second'
'I see myself in the rainbow jersey': With Valverde debuting as national team coach, a confident Ayuso heads to Rwanda as the ultimate worlds disruptor.
Ayuso leads Spain in a quest to beat Pogačar. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)
Juan Ayuso is barreling into the elite men’s UCI road world championships in Kigali with confidence to burn, and he’s not being shy that he’s going to take it straight to Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel.
The 23-year-old Spaniard — never one short of confidence — insists he’s ready to disrupt cycling’s two biggest stars in the high-altitude race of attrition Sunday in the race for the rainbow jersey.
“I arrive to these world championships with more conviction and more enthusiasm than last year,” Ayuso told media in Spain before leaving for Rwanda. “In 2024, it was hard after the Tour. I think racing La Vuelta has been a good preparation for these worlds.”
The climb-heavy Rwandan course promises fireworks, and Ayuso believes there could be an opening if Pogačar and Evenepoel start marking each other.
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“There are several riders much more favorites than me, and I hope Remco and Tadej mark each other,” Ayuso said. “At 100 km from the finish line, everything will explode in the big climb. Waiting is never good in a race that’s this hard. But I find it hard to believe that Remco and Tadej would attack before the climb.”
No lack of confidence
The Kigali course is a true monument-level grind, and with the race time pushing close to seven hours, will push riders into deep fatigue.
Ayuso has limited experience over such distances, in fact, he’s only won twice in races longer than 200km and has yet to ride a major one-day monument.
Still, Ayuso is the No. 1 fan of his capacity in his second elite men’s worlds road race.
“Yes, I see myself in the rainbow jersey, I would be lying if I said anything else, it’s a dream,” Ayuso said. “There are many factors to winning, but if I wasn’t convinced, I wouldn’t go.
“I won’t settle for the silver medal. With the team that we’re taking and representing Spain, we can go all out.”
Will the team ride for him?
Ayuso has already proven he can win one-day races, taking Trofeo Laigueglia and Faun Drome Classic earlier this season.
It will be interesting to see if his Spanish national teammates will ride for him, especially considering that Ayuso has a growing reputation of not helping others.
Things came to a a head at the Vuelta. While teammate João Almeida dueled Jonas Vingegaard for second overall, Ayuso repeatedly stepped off the gas, but won two stage wins for himself.
That Vuelta tension was compounded by news leaking mid-race that Ayuso will leave UAE Emirates-XRG, most likely for Lidl-Trek.
“I would have preferred to have a Vuelta with less stress outside of sports,” he said.
With Ayuso as the first-line captain, UAE teammate Marc Soler and Lidl-Trek’s Carlos Verona provide WorldTour depth to Spain’s team.
Rising stars like Iván Romeo, Raúl García Pierna, Roger Adrià, Abel Balderstone, and Carlos Canal offer fresh legs.
Valverde at the helm
Whether they can deliver for Ayuso depends a lot on ex-pro and 2018 world champion Alejandro Valverde, who makes his debut as Spain’s national team coach.
Valverde — the all-time leader in worlds medals with seven — brings expectations and pressure.
“If we all rally around each other, and if ride well Sunday, everything is possible,” Valverde told Eurosport. “We have to save our bullets but we have to be at the front of the race, too. This race is will be almost seven hours and everyone will be on their knees.”
Spain used to rule the worlds and Valverde is hoping to lead the team back to the podium in the elite men’s road race.
From Óscar Freire’s breakthrough in 1999 to Valverde’ win in 2018, Spanish riders collected five golds, three silvers, and nine bronzes across two decades of dominance.
But since Valverde’s win in 2018, the fountain’s run dry.
Can Valverde get everyone working in one united goal?
If he can and Ayuso delivers, Spain could be the most dangerous rival to the Pogačar-Evenepoel stranglehold on the podium.
