Ayuso happy to fly under radar at Tour de France / Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT - AFP
-
Man Utd agree deal for Brighton midfielder Baleba: reports
-
US, Canada push to seal trade deal as deadline nears
-
Werro wins Lausanne 800m, well off world record pace
-
One dead, three wounded after sword attack at Swedish high school
-
China mulls bid to host 2028 UN climate talks: sources
-
Ukraine says 'cynical' Russian strike on shopping centre killed 15
-
Jones becomes third Englishman to join Inter this summer
-
US Supreme Court allows White House ballroom construction for now
-
Mexican governor wanted on US drug charges returns to job
-
Root hails emerging fast bowlers as England thrash Pakistan
-
Bolivia's Paz forced to fire economy minister in mid-crisis
-
Brazil's Lula urges tariffs resolution in call with Trump
-
A-Rod ups T-Wolves stake in $4.5bn ownership change
-
Ukraine says 'cynical' Russian strike on shopping centre killed 14
-
UK court orders Prince Harry, others to pay Daily Mail initial £9.5mn
-
Heatwave-hit Europe logs over 30,000 excess summer deaths: first figures
-
'Grateful' ex-world champion Alaphilippe retires from cycling
-
Give LIV Golf 'one more shot,' says DeChambeau
-
US, Canada work to wrap up trade deal ahead of looming deadline
-
Duplantis hits the high notes for athletics anthem
-
Malaysia's JDT claim unbeaten run world record
-
Malaysia's JDT claims unbeaten run world record
-
At least 2 teens seriously wounded in sword attack at Swedish school
-
Bolivian economy minister fired after Congress vote
-
Popular forest near Paris to reopen after wildfire
-
Russell roars to Dutch GP sprint pole, Antonelli fifth
-
UN holds second informal poll of secretary-general candidates
-
Russell takes pole for Dutch GP sprint
-
Shakhtar Donetsk to play Champions League home games at Chelsea
-
England start life after Bazball with rout of Pakistan
-
Arsenal sign Villa centre-back Konsa as champions bolster defence
-
'Duck run' pest control catching on in S.Africa's winelands
-
The 'hedgehogs' leading Poland's defences on Russian border
-
UK, Canada, Australia slam Israel ending probe into aid worker killings
-
England thrash Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in first Test
-
Spurs spending spree vital to raise standards: De Zerbi
-
Fury says Joshua fight 'doesn't look like it's going to happen'
-
US, Canada try to wrap up trade deal before latest Trump deadline
-
Argentina's Paredes suspended 10 matches by FIFA for World Cup fight
-
World No.1 Sinner withdraws from US Open with knee injury
-
Watkins and Martinez could join Villa exodus says Emery
-
Judge allows UK rugby brain injury court case to continue to trial
-
UK court orders Prince Harry, others to pay Daily Mail £9.5mn
-
Trump announces temporary tariff relief on ground beef imports
-
Aligned Launches $ALIGN, the Native Token of Its Full Ethereum Stack
-
Pope to visit San Marino, address Italian political event
-
Bitcoin jumps, stocks bounce as traders weigh US Treasury action
-
All Blacks just as good as Springboks, says captain Savea
-
Man City boss Maresca hit with Doku injury blow
-
Romania holding suspected 'low-level agent' after pistols found near Berlin: Germany
Ayuso happy to fly under radar at Tour de France
Spanish climber Juan Ayuso said on Friday that he is happy to shun the limelight as he begins his quest for a Tour de France podium finish.
Most attention at the Tour will be on champion Tadej Pogacar, his main rival Jonas Vingegaard, and French teenage prodigy Paul Seixas, as well as Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel.
Only four years ago Ayuso was himself a teenage sensation, finishing third at the 2022 Vuelta a Espana, matching Pogacar's Grand Tour debut in Spain as a 20-year-old in 2019.
Since then, Ayuso's star has not shone as brightly as many expected it to.
His results have been inconsistent -- which is hardly surprising for a young rider.
Still only 23, he has won prestigious week-long stage races such as the Tour of the Basque Country in 2024 and Tirreno-Adriatico last year.
But after backing up his Vuelta debut with a fourth-placed finish the following year in Spain, he has failed to deliver in Grand Tours.
The Lidl-Trek team leader was notable by his absence during the press conference for Tour favourites held by organisers on Thursday.
"I do like that they have more exposure, more pressure than me, and then I can do a bit more of my own thing," Ayuso told reporters on Friday.
"But I don't really think about it. I just try to focus on myself."
He will be riding the Tour for the second time, having been forced out early in 2024 after testing positive for Covid.
He started this season in fine form, edging Seixas to win the Tour of the Asturias, but illness and injury hampered him until he bounced back last month with a third-placed finish at the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.
With Pogacar and Vingegaard expected to continue hogging the top two steps of the Tour podium -- as they have done for the last five years -- Ayuso hopes to battle the likes of Seixas, Evenepoel, Isaac Del Toro and Florian Lipowitz for a top three finish.
Ayuso is expecting Seixas to light up the race.
"I think he's a true racer. He's not scared to go on to attack," Ayuso said of the French 19-year-old.
"I don't think he's going to wait and see; if he has legs, he's going to try it, and we have to be there."
E.Qaddoumi--SF-PST
