Giro d'Italia 2025, the diktat of UAE Team Emirates-XRG: "Ayuso captain, but..."

In the press conference, sports director Matxin tries to act as a glue between the two new leaders of the general classification: "Now the pink jersey is Del Toro and he must be respected. We are happy with this situation"

di GIUSY ANNA MARIA D'ALESSIO
19 May 2025
UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Giro presentation (Ansa)

UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the Giro presentation (Ansa)

Rome, May 19, 2025 - From the 'tyranny' of Tadej pogacar to the polyarchy of the scene Giro d'Italia 2025: TheUAE Team Emirates-XRG It occurs on the second day of rest of the Corsa pink with the symbol of primacy on the shoulders of Isaac Del Toro, but perhaps also with a hint (if not something more) of discontent Juan Ayuso, the designated captain became one of the many illustrious victims of the dirt roads of Siena.  

Matxin's statements

  In the middle, literally between two fires, there is Joxean Fernandez Matxin, the big boss of the Emirati team, who in the press conference tried to act as a fireman, between internal and external tensions that risk weighing in the long run on the calculation of a race that hasn't even reached its first half. "Things haven't changed: the leader of the team remains Ayuso. However, we must also give maximum respect to the pink jersey, which is Del Toro. We are all clear that, first of all, we have to work as a team. There are no problems, they are both good guys who you can talk to and reason with. They are doing well on the street and I simply give them the tools to show their talent. They are easy to manage, they have class and talent. If they win, they win because they are good: if instead there are tactical problems, I am responsible". Between wisdom, diplomacy and perhaps 'circle-breaking', Matxin he dribbles the controversies of a team that has gone through two opposites: everything and everyone at the feet of the king pogacar and two, if not three or even four, captains to manage with their respective ambitions. According to the experienced Spanish manager, the situation does not displease theUAE Team Emirates-XRG, which actually occurs at the second break of the Giro d'Italia 2025 with well- 4 men in the top 10 (to the Mexican and the Spanish must be added Brandon McNulty e Adam Yates, respectively eighth and ninth). "For us it's a privileged situation. It's better to have two riders in front rather than behind the rivals. I don't know what our opponents will be able to do, but as far as we're concerned, at the moment, we're in a good position. It's up to them to decide whether to attack or not."

Ayuso's statements

  Naturally, the line dictated by Matxin it also aligns Ayuso who however, always in the press conference, does not deny his ambitions despite the fact that the pink jersey is now the prerogative of Del Toro. "The important thing is that the team wins the Giro d'Italia. If I were to do it, it would be a dream that I hope will come true, but if a teammate were to win it, the objective would still be achieved, also because it would not go to a rival". Among them, at least on the eve, the one that stood out was Primois Roglic, another one who came out battered from the stage 9, won by Wout van aert, which according to the app data Strava he crossed the fearsome tear of Via Santa Caterina in 1'19 ": physically and in spirit, just like Ayuso, who the day after counts the damage. "Physically I have pain in my knee, but from today it's better. Morally I'm quite well: if at the start in Albania if they had told me that I would now be second with that gap from Roglic, I would have signed it. I'm in a privileged situation."

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