'Something isn't right' - Juan Ayuso's coach admits concern after disappointing first season at Lidl-Trek

Juan Ayuso arrived at Lidl-Trek with considerable expectations following his departure from UAE Team Emirates-XRG, but his first season with the team has not gone according to plan. 

His coach Aritz Arberas has acknowledged that something is not right, with the team still unable to explain why the 24-year-old has struggled to deliver his best performances.

"Something is happening, that's clear. Something isn't right, because what we're seeing isn't normal," Arberas told Spanish journalist Daniel Arribas.

"The verifiable data we have from training doesn't match up. The sessions have gone well, Juan has made sacrifices and invested an enormous amount of effort into his preparation, with altitude camps and specific training for the World Championships. But then he gets to the races and things don't work out."

"His performances are not what you would expect from a rider of his level."

Ayuso began his 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, winning the Volta ao Algarve ahead of Paul Seixas and João Almeida. However, that early success proved difficult to build upon.

A crash while leading Paris-Nice disrupted his momentum, while illness affected his performances at Itzulia Basque Country and the Critérium du Dauphiné, where he still managed to finish third overall. 

Ayuso finished seventh overall at the Tour de France, behind his Lidl-Trek teammate Mattias Skjelmose, falling short of the ambitions he had before the race.

Despite those setbacks, the Spaniard was determined to finish the season on a positive note. He requested to compete at the Tour of Guangxi, extending his season with one final opportunity to secure a victory. He finished sixth overall after struggling during the steep final kilometre of stage that decided the race.

"He was the one who asked to go to China," Arberas explained. "He is the first to recognise that the year has not gone well, and he took the initiative to offer himself for Guangxi and try to win right up until the final day of the season."

According to his coach, Ayuso felt a responsibility to repay the confidence shown in him by Lidl-Trek, with whom he has a contract until the end of 2030.

"He told me, 'Aritz, I owe it to the team.' In my opinion, that shows enormous maturity on his part."

While Ayuso's determination has not been questioned, the contrast between his training performances and race results has become a growing concern.

Arberas revealed that the situation has also been difficult for the rider himself, particularly because neither he nor his coaching staff have been able to identify a clear explanation.

"He's sad, of course. He's an ambitious rider and an extremely hard worker," Arberas said.

"When we speak after races, he asks me, 'Aritz, what do you think? What do you think is happening?' And I tell him, 'I don't know, Juan. We don't have the answer.'"

The team is now examining a range of potential factors, including Ayuso's health and training data, in an attempt to understand why his preparation has not translated into the expected results.

"We're currently in the analysis phase, trying to identify the problem and understand what's going on. We're looking at everything, from his health and possible medical issues to the training data."

With the racing season now over, Arberas believes the absence of competition will give the team an opportunity to investigate the issue more thoroughly before Ayuso begins preparing for 2027.

He compared the situation to a Formula 1 car that is unable to perform at its full potential because of a seemingly minor mechanical issue.

"If a hose develops a crack on a Ferrari, that Ferrari won't perform in the same way," he explained.

The priority over the coming weeks will therefore be to identify what has been holding Ayuso back, rather than immediately focusing on his next race programme.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ayuso's performances, Arberas sees no reason for the Spaniard to lower his ambitions next season.

"Juan's goals for 2027 have to be the same as they were in 2026: compete in a Grand Tour, race one-day classics and win week-long stage races. That's what he has done in recent years as a professional," he said.

"He's a top rider, someone people expect to win races, and he's fully aware of that."

Arberas also defended Ayuso's ambition to try to become world champion, a target that has previously attracted criticism given the strength of the competition.

"People criticised him a lot when he said last year that he wanted to win the World Championships. And that was his objective again this year. Why shouldn't Juan be able to win it when McNulty can?"

"He's not saying he wants to take a Tour de France victory away from Pogačar. He's saying he wants to give everything at the World Championships, which is an open race where he can play his cards."

"He's had an incredibly difficult year, and people don't realise that," Arberas said. 

"He has suffered problems at the key moments of the season, and that has taken away a lot of his shine."