Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) will be looking to replicate his impressive performance at the 2023 Vuelta a España and step up from the podium to win the Spanish Grand Tour.

Ayuso finished third in the 2022 race, just days before turning 20, behind Remco Evenpoel (Quick Step-Alfa Vinyl) and Enric Mas (Movistar). This made him the youngest podium finisher in Vuelta history and the second youngest in Grand Tour history.

He said in a long interview with El País that his next goal is to win the Vuelta, the Grand Tour of 2023.

"I want to try the Vuelta again," he said. But next year I want to make the Vuelta my main goal."

"I finished third this year, so why not dream of winning?

In the same interview, Ayuso recognized that 2022 was a breakthrough year for him.

"Ten to 21 days is double that," he said. But I recovered very well in the Vuelta, and the third week was my best performance and the closest to Enric Mas and Evenpoel. This gives me a lot of confidence for next year. It's a litmus test for Grand Tour racers.

Ayuso, known for his versatility as a racer, said his teammate and two-time Tour winner Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates) has paved the way for him to show that it is possible for a Grand Tour specialist to challenge for victory on any terrain. And that was something he hoped to challenge for years to come.

"He is my role model. That's why I want to test myself in the Ardennes next year."

However, Ayuso's full race program for 2023 will not be revealed until he meets the UAE team at their first winter get-together in Dubai on October 18. 19]

"I want to talk to the team boss and combine my interests with those of the team to figure out the best calendar I would like to come up with."

"The 2023 race program will be worked out after I meet with the UAE team at the first winter get-together in Dubai on October 18.

"More World Tour races than this year, but of the same type: a week of stage races, the Ardennes, rest, and the Vuelta.

"I don't know which one-week race will be my goal, but I'll decide with the team; I'll do a lot of races until May, then rest and start preparing for the Vuelta."

Ayuso, now 20, told the newspaper El País that he already "feels old." When he looked at the list of people going pro, there were those born in 2003 or 2004, and he said, "I'm already two years older than them.

"Lemko is also two years older than me, but I just focus on myself. Instead of continuing to evolve, I have to accomplish something big in 2023. Whoever I have to fight, I will fight."