‘I suffered because of crashes and illnesses’ – Juan Ayuso back racing at Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes after rollercoaster first half of season

Nearly two months to the day after he abandoned the Itzulia Basque Country due to sickness, Juan Ayuso returns to racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this Sunday with his sights set firmly on the fast-approaching Tour de France.

The 23-year-old Spaniard has spent three weeks training in Sierra Nevada and will now head the Lidl-Trek team’s GC aspirations both in the week-long stage race and again in the Tour. In both events, he’s widely seen as Spain’s biggest hope of success on the GC front.