Your roundup of cycling news — and cycling-proximate news, including the rising tension between Juan Ayuso and UAE-Team Emirates. Plus racing in Britain and at the Simac Ladies’ Tour, several signings — and MVDP the brand.
TOP STORY:
- Ayuso’s Sudden Ouster Devolves into Polemics…But Is Anyone Surprised? (eTrash Mike Commentary)
Race News:
- Cool Kooij Doubles Up to Dominate Tour of Britain Opening Stages
Lloyd’s Tour of Britain - Canadian Grands Prix Startlists: A Pro Cycling Who’s Who
- Wiebes in Command at Simac Tour
Rider and Team News:
- 2026 Signings Continue: RBBh, Soudal Quick-Step, Visma & UAE
Ayuso’s Sudden Ouster Devolves into Polemics…But Is Anyone Surprised? (eTrashMike Commentary)
Against the backdrop of the Vuelta a España grinding across Northern Spain, and with Gaza protests impeding riders’ contesting the season’s third Grand Tour, UAE-Team Emirates abruptly announced the season-end termination of Juan Ayuso’s contract. While the team deemed the decision to be “mutual,” Ayuso quickly slammed the manner in which it was made public; the Spanish rider suggested that the announcement should not have come during the Vuelta, accused UAE of trying to “damage his image,” and described the team as a “dictatorship.”
Ayuso in more celebratory days.
Ayuso also stated that he was given only 30 minutes to sign the “mutual” termination notice, and only reluctantly signed off after the team softened the first draft. He openly claimed the move aimed to tarnish his image and lamented internal friction—especially tensions with João Almeida, who Ayuso says publicly criticized the team’s lack of support in a key moment, comments he believes were weaponized against him. (Ayuso has nonetheless pledged to remain in the Vuelta, backing Almeida in his General Classification campaign, and seemed to ride in half-hearted support in Stage 10.)
The Spanish rider will soon be receiving support from a different team.
Ayuso’s termination is certainly not surprising, not considering his refusal to serve as a team player on what may be cycling’s most top-heavy squad ever. But the abrupt nature of the announcement also shouldn’t be surprising to cycling fans who have followed UAE closely.
Cycling’s wealthiest team has long been tagged as taking a lazy, disorganized approach to any races lacking Pogacar. This reputation has never been more evident than during this Vuelta: Having started the race as a named “co-leader,” Ayuso seemed to tank Stage 6, and then roared back with a statement win in Stage 7 — a move that a designated stage-hunter Jay Vine is permitted to make, but not a GC star whose contract is likely several times more lucrative. Meanwhile, Marc Soler seems determined to muster his own top ten campaign. Almeida consistently starts stages’ final climbs with no support riders (while Visma surrounds Vingegaard with up to five.) 
Soler — alone, as usual.
In our estimation, UAE Team Emirates is making a statement: No more messy riding. No more every-rider-for-himself. While mid-race the team radio isn’t a leash — any rider can disregard orders — suddenly terminating Ayuso’s contract in the middle of his home-country race, the one in which he finished third so early in his career, sends a message: Serve the team, or find another one.
Where, then, is Ayuso headed next? Movistar and Lidl-Trek are mentioned most frequently, as both teams would seem to command the budget required to sign one of cycling’s top talents, and lack a serious GC contender. But Lidl-Trek has found a relatively inexpensive, low-drama groove, grinding out wins on the backs of its strongmen Milan and Pedersen while continuing to build around young talent, including Thibau Nys, Quinn Simmons and Mattias Skjelmose, and may not want to sweat out the likely stress of employing Ayuso.
Thanks to Milan, plus Pedersen and others, Lidl-Trek earns its share of wins.
Movistar, though, likely relishes the possibility of bringing aboard a Spanish superstar, even one who seems to leave a wake behind him. Enric Mas is out indefinitely, and the team is sorely in need of marquee wins.
Our prediction: Ayuso in Movistar kit in ’26.
Movistar is missing Mas’ leadership and guts.
For stage-by-stage accounts since our last EuroTrash, check out the following PEZ stories:
RACE NEWS
Cool Kooij Doubles Up to Dominate Tour of Britain Opening Stages
Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) has stamped his authority on the 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain, winning the opening two stages in style to take command of the race lead.
The Dutch sprinter first triumphed in Woodbridge with a perfectly timed uphill burst into Southwold. After teammate Matthew Brennan delivered him into position, Kooij surged past Norway’s Tord Gudmestad (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) in the closing meters, with Hugo Hofstetter (Israel–Premier Tech) rounding out the podium. Sam Watson (INEOS Grenadiers) was the best-placed Brit in sixth, while retiring legend Geraint Thomas safely rejoined the peloton after a late puncture.
Stage two brought wind, threats of storms, and a long Stowmarket loop, but the result was the same: another Kooij victory. A four-man breakaway animated the day, with Andreas Stokbro (Unibet Tietema Rockets) grabbing both sprint and mountain points before the move was reeled in three kilometers from the line. Bahrain Victorious and INEOS tried to set up their sprinters, but Watson’s early launch was overpowered by Kooij’s decisive kick. Tom Crabbe (Team Flanders–Baloise) finished second, with Watson third.
Kooij now leads the general classification by 14 seconds over Crabbe, while also extending his advantage in the points competition. Crabbe holds the youth jersey, and Stokbro leads the mountains standings.
“It was a bit harder than yesterday, but when I had space, I felt like I was the fastest,” Kooij said after doubling his tally.
Stage three takes the race from Milton Keynes to Ampthill in Central Bedfordshire.
Canadian Grands Prix Startlists: A Pro Cycling Who’s Who
Pogačar, Van Aert, Matthews… a star-studded field at the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal.
Already a two-time winner of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, “Pogi” will face a formidable field that includes Florian Lipowitz, third overall at the 2025 Tour de France, along with four stage winners from the Grande Boucle: Wout Van Aert, Simon Yates, Tim Wellens, and Jonas Abrahamsen. Defending Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec champion Michael Matthews will be back to defend his title, while Michael Woods, the 2024 Canadian national champion, will race on home soil for the last time before retiring.
2024 champ “Bling” Matthews will be back this year.
New for this year, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec will feature a slightly shorter loop (12 km), with two additional laps added for a total distance of 216 km. The start and finish remain set against the iconic backdrop of the Plains of Abraham, a historic site at the heart of Québec’s heritage. The extended distance promises more dynamic race scenarios and opens the door for a wider range of riders to shine.
Riders confirmed to date include:
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG)
- Wout Van Aert (Visma–Lease a Bike)
- Michael Matthews (Team Jayco AlUla)
- Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
- Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe)
- Oscar Onley (Team Pinic PostNL)
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty)
- Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates – XRG)
- Arnaud de Lie (Lotto)
- Quinn Simmons (Lidl–Trek)
- Michael Woods (Canada, Israel–Premier Tech) — making the race his last before retiring
Wiebes in Command at Simac Tour
The Simac Ladies Tour, now in its 27th edition, kicked off on September 2 in Leuven and stretches across six stages through the Netherlands to Lichtenvoorde, covering a total of approximately 658 km.
Stage 1, a fast 81.3 km circuit in Leuven, delivered a show of sprint dominance as Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime) claimed a powerful win over Elisa Balsamo and Clara Copponi. Her victory, her 18th of the season and 111th of her career, set her firmly in the leader’s jersey right out of the gate.
Stage 2, spanning 124.5 km around Gennep, unfolded in tough crosswind conditions. Wiebes again proved unstoppable, winning the stage from a reduced leading group. Clara Copponi took second, and Megan Jastrab rounded out the podium, while Wiebes maintained overall control.
With four more stages to come—including a decisive 10 km individual time trial (Stage 5) and a challenging finale featuring cobbled and gravel sectors—sprint consistency and tactical strength will be key. But as things stand, Wiebes is in a commanding position and looking every bit the favorite heading into the week’s latter half.
RIDER & TEAM NEWS
21 year-old state race specialist Luke Tuckwell will ride as a professional with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe next year. Among other highlights, the Australian claimed second place at the prestigious Giro Next Gen, the U23 version of the Giro d’Italia. Most recently, he confirmed his abilities with a tenth place at the Tour de l’Avenir – the most important stage race in the U23 category.
Filippo Zana will compete for Soudal Quick-Step for the next two years after the former Italian Champion signed a contract with the Belgian team. Zana has built an impressive palmares, including victories at the Tour of Slovenia and Adriatica Ionica Race, a mountain stage at his home Grand Tour and the National Championships, as well as top ten results in Grand Tour stages and Strade Bianche.
eTrashMike sez: We thought this was really big news, but realized it says ZANA, not Ganna…
Filippo Baroncini has returned home from the hospital following his crash in the Tour de Pologne in August., and has signed a new two-year contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Baroncini, the former U23 World Champion, joined UAE Team Emirates-XRG in 2023 and has developed each year within the squad.
What Can we Learn from…Mathieu van der Poel’s Instagram?
While some cyclists’ social media is a bit messy, or especially personal, or largely neglected (or very frequently attended), van der Poel’s Instagram points to one conclusion: MVDP is a brand.
His Instagram is polished and curated, and very sponsor-heavy. This tracks: we’ve heard about the Lambos and the Richard Mille watches, and anyone watching the Tour de France in the U.S. in recent years has seen him riding on Zwift many, many times. Van der Poel’s Instagram is the product of an athlete — or likely an athlete’s communications team — that is highly mindful of his image.
Just check out the post below: He posts an action shot on his Canyon Lux, in advance of hitting the mountain bike circuit. The comments? Not from random fans (or trolls), as we’ve seen on other IGs; they come from his team, and from key — non-Canyon — sponsors.
eTrashMike sez: I’m here for it — and not only because I ride a Canyon. Cycling and cyclists could stand to manage their brands more carefully. MVDP is showing us the way.
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The bucket-list worthy Whistler Gran Fondo runs this weekend – Sept. 6th. Here’s a look at the course from above…
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The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it on the homepage, just above the PEZ Shop section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be added there too.
The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it on the homepage, just above the PEZ Shop section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be added there too.
The post EUROTRASH: Ayuso-UAE Acrimony Consumes Vuelta, Pro Cycling appeared first on PezCycling News.
