It's official: UAE terminates the contract with Juan Ayuso who will sign with Lidl Trek for four seasons

Juan Ayuso's future no longer goes through UAE Team Emirates. The Spanish cyclist, who had a contract until 2028, and the Emirati team announced on Monday the early termination of their contract "by mutual agreement". Ayuso will remain with the team until the end of the 2025 season, after which he will likely join Lidl-Trek for four years as several media outlets have reported.

Juan Ayuso and UAE Team Emirates mutually terminate their contract

The news was made official during the first rest day of La Vuelta through a statement published by the Emirati squad, confirming a rumor that had been circulating in the peloton for weeks and had been visible to all for some time.

What is surprising, and makes it clear that the relationship was already unsustainable between both parties, is that the decision comes in the middle of the Vuelta a España, where Ayuso is competing as one of the team's key riders.

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Ayuso landed at UAE in 2021, recruited by Joxean "Matxin" Fernández after a training camp in Benidorm that convinced the manager to bet on signing him. Since then, he has had a meteoric progression: third in the Vuelta a España 2022, second in the Spanish Championship in 2023, winner of the Itzulia in 2024, and this year winner of classics like La Drôme, Laigueglia, or the Tirreno-Adriatico, in addition to partial victories in the Giro and Vuelta.

However, coexistence within the team was never easy. The presence of an undisputed leader like Pogacar limited his aspirations to be the absolute team leader, and according to the statement, differences in vision regarding development plans and sporting philosophy ultimately made continuity unfeasible.

Official statement from UAE Team Emirates - XRG

UAE Team Emirates – XRG: agreement to part ways with Juan Ayuso

UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Spanish rider Juan Ayuso have mutually agreed to an early termination of his contract, which was originally set to run until 2028. Ayuso will now remain on the roster until the end of 2025 after a decision was made following differences in the vision of development plans and in the alignment with the team’s sporting philosophy.

Mauro Gianetti, CEO of UAE Team Emirates – XRG:
“Juan has been a valuable talent and we are grateful for what we have built together. At the same time, our sporting project has always been focused on continuity, group harmony, and building a winning team. We believe that, in the best interests of both parties, this decision is the most consistent with the values that define our organization. UAE Team Emirates – XRG will continue on its path of growth and development, confident that the team’s identity and strength remain our foundation. We wish Juan every success in the future.”

Juan Ayuso:
“I would like to thank the team for the support and opportunities they have given me over these years. I have had the chance to grow and to compete alongside the very best, and I know that what I have learned will always remain part of my professional background. I now feel it is time for me to take a different path, with the same enthusiasm and I wish UAE Team Emirates – XRG success for the future.”