Juan Ayuso exhibits himself in the time trial of the Tour of Switzerland ahead of Evenepoel and Van Aert and finishes second overall

What seems like an impossible mission, the dream of a madman, the chimera of a dreamer, winning a time trial against Remco Evenepoel, was achieved by Juan Ayuso in the last stage of the Tour of Switzerland. It was his second stage win of the round.

The Spaniard relegated the Belgian to eight seconds. And the Danish Mattias Skjelmose-Jensen, who was third, nine. Ayuso (UAE) finished second overall, at the same nine seconds, behind Skjelmose (Trek), with Remco third at 45. The fourth, Wilco Kelderman, saw them from afar, at 2:09. Fifth was Van Aert, 28 seconds behind.

We are facing the emergence of, objectively, an exceptional runner; someone who, at 20, a very early age for a cyclist, even in these times, stars in exhibitions reserved for the privileged. His technical mastery of the bicycle is absolute. His descents, in a mixture of audacity and expertise, with controlled risks, border on perfection.

The tranquility with which, after the triumphs, he looks out, faces the, let's say, “post game” is astonishing. He is aware of the trajectory that, barring a disaster of some kind, awaits him in cycling and he faces it with the naturalness of someone who knows he is chosen. There is a lot of serenity, a lot of maturity in someone so young.

The stage consisted of 25.6 kilometres, on a route for specialists, with somewhat demanding slopes between kilometers 10 and 20.. Saying that Ayuso is one of those specialists, and one of the best, is not an exaggeration, nor any judgment dictated by patriotism, after he won the time trial of the Tour de Romandie, also in Switzerland. Ayuso already has three victories this year, and is the best Spaniard in quantity and quality.

And this is only the beginning.