Juan Ayuso opened Lidl-Trek’s media day on Friday with a statement. Before the attending press could question the Spaniard, the 23-year-old Lidl-Trek new signing made it clear he would no longer answer questions about his previous team.
"I have prepared a statement," Ayuso began on Friday afternoon. "I want to take this opportunity to thank the team and the entire UAE setup. My time there shaped me into who I am and will always be a part of me. During my years with the team, I learned a lot about professionalism, discipline, and ambition. The whole team, especially Mauro Gianetti and Matxin, helped me achieve my successes."
"What happened in September and afterwards (when UAE, among other things, communicated about the contract termination with Ayuso during the Vuelta, and the Spaniard subsequently lashed out at his team, ed.), happened under pressure and with a lot of tension. The words I said then do not reflect my true feelings about the team."
Ayuso wants to leave it at that statement and looks ahead to a fresh start in 2026. "Once again, I want to thank everyone for my time at UAE. At this press conference, I will not answer any more questions about it," he concludes.
