The 2023 Tour of Switzerland will forever remain the first great race in which Juan Ayuso, 20 years old, a fine climber, a powerful roller, really fought to win an overall. He was just 9 seconds away from taking the yellow jersey. The pearl of Spanish cycling won the final time trial between St. Gallen and Abtwil but was unable to take the lead from the Danish Mattias Skjelmose Jensen, the most regular of the week.
The promise of the UAE had already made great positions such as third position in the Tour of Spain last year but then he was almost five minutes behind the winner, Evenepoel. This time he has been at the level of the Belgian champion, even ahead. In the Volta a Catalunya and Romandía, also in 2022, he was always one minute worse than the best. But this time he has fought side by side, with real chances of victory, showing his face, launching attacks and scoring two stages brilliantly.
The Swiss test, marked by the death of Gino Mäder after a very serious fall on the descent of the Albulapass, has had a magnificent level of cycling. You only need to take a look at the stage winners to realize it. Küng, Girmay, Skjelmose Jensen, Gall, Evenepoel… Among all of them, Ayuso has won two stages, the two most decisive: the fifth, in La Punt, in the Alps, and the eighth, the final time trial.
The final podium reflects the power of youth in cycling today. The first three overall, Skjelmose Jensen (22), Ayuso (20) and Evenepoel (23), were born after the year 2000. The Valencian is not that he did not see Indurain run, it is that he was hardly born before the goodbye to Olano and José María Jiménez.
Ayuso, who already flew in the time trial of the Tour de Romandie at the end of April -a clear warning for Valladolid in the 2023 Vuelta-, beat the one who was the great favorite to win the stage, Evenepoel, winner of two of the time trials in which he participated in the Giro until he withdrew due to Covid. But Skjelmose Jensen resisted.
He did not collapse when at the first halfway point of the 26 km the Valencian had already recovered all his advantage in the general classification, which was 18s. However, the Dane from Trek, familiar with Ayuso’s times, was able to push in the second part of the time trial. On the uphill section, with 8% ramps, Jensen climbed faster. And with 6 km to go, the Spanish from the UAE was no longer the virtual leader. At the finish line, the Dane defended himself and barely gave up 9s. Ayuso stayed in the middle and could not accompany Fuente and Aitor González, the only Spaniards who have won the Tour of Switzerland, in the list of winners.
