Juan Ayuso resigns from representing Spain in the Cycling World Cup

Juan Ayuso will not participate in the World Cycling Championships in Australia, which will take place from September 18 to 25.

The Barcelona cyclist, third in the Tour of Spain that ended on September 11, has announced his decision not to appear at the World Cup through his social networks this Wednesday.

In the statement, Ayuso explains that running the Vuelta has been an “incredible experience” but that despite the good results, he considers that he will not be able to “represent Spain optimally”.

Official statement |

Australia World Cup 🇦🇺

👉🏼 https://t.co/B4f9ZdNMHz#Wollongong2022 pic.twitter.com/oCk8QeKrAf

– Juan Ayuso (@juann_ayuso) September 14, 2022

The UAE team cyclist has stated that he feels that he is not in top shape “to be competitive” and needs to “recover physically and mentally”.

Ayuso ends the statement with thanks to the coach Pascual Momparler and the Spanish Cycling Federation for his "trust and understanding".

The 19-year-old Catalan dropped out of the national team after a Vuelta with great results, in which he finished on the podium and finished as the second best youngster in the race, behind Remco Evenepoel, overall champion.

Ayuso's resignation is a new problem for the Spanish representation at the World Cup in Australia.

Momparler has had difficulties in training the team due to the refusal of the teams to give up their runners for sporting reasons.

The new points ranking system in professional cycling is to blame.

With this method, teams need to score in several competitions in order to maintain their category or move up to a higher one.

Although in the World Cup the runners represent their country, the points they add go to their teams.

This means that many teams do not want their riders to compete to favor those of other teams.

The Royal Spanish Cycling Federation has already announced that the cyclist Iván García Cortina will be Ayuso's replacement in the national team.

The Asturian from the Movistar team thus joins the Spanish team that also includes Marc Soler, Roger Adriá, Urko Berrade, Gotzon Martin, Xabier Mikel Azparren, Jesús Ezquerra and Eduard Prades.

#Wollongong2022 |

@ivan_cortina will compete in the online test of the 2022 Road World Championship🌈

The Asturian cyclist will be part of the #TeamESPciclismo 🇪🇸 after the resignation of Juan Ayuso.

Statement📎https://t.co/G8xzu4i3eS pic.twitter.com/zaBKwroHVu

– Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (@RFECiclismo) September 14, 2022

The federation has expressed its "disappointment" with the resignation of Ayuso, since he was going to be one of the "pillars of the national team in Australia".

The RFEC has expressed that it accepts and understands the cyclist's decision in the same statement with which they announced García Cortina as his substitute.

Not just for the federation.

Ayuso's withdrawal has been "a jug of cold water" for Momparler.

“I feel bad.

We form a team around him”, expressed the national coach during a telephone interview.

He also does not want to enter into controversy and has not made any statements about other possible reasons for the resignation of the UAE cyclist.

“He has always been there and has helped us, it is the only time he has not been able to come”, said Momparler to settle the issue.

In the same way, he doubts that there is "pressure" from the UAE team, which has always supported them.

Momparler also rules out that there may be more changes in the national team.

If there are, "it will be due to exceptional circumstances."

He also appreciates Cortina's quick incorporation into the squad.

“It will give us a lot.

He is a great runner for this type of test”, said the coach about Ayuso's substitute.

The 26-year-old Asturian cyclist will be able to wear the national team jersey despite Movistar's initial refusal, which needed to get points in other competitions to maintain the category in the UCI World Tour, the maximum in cycling.

However, the need to score points for Movistar has all but disappeared after Enric Mas' second place finish at the Vuelta a España.

The Spanish cyclist has given more than 700 points for the team, which practically ensures his permanence in the category.

This has allowed Movistar to release Cortina from his commitments with the team so that he can compete in the World Cup in Australia.

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