Rewind three years to September 1, 2022 and Juan Ayuso is on his way to stardom. He's in the middle of his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España on home roads and sits fifth overall, which would improve to a podium at the first attempt by the time he reached Madrid 10 days later.
At 19, he's become the heir apparent at UAE Team Emirates, already looking to be Tadej Pogačar's future successor, having committed his long-term future and trusting UAE to enhance his development until 2028 a month earlier.
