Ethan Hayter (Soudal-QuickStep) remains without a contract for the 2027 season, and despite suffering significantly in the second week of the Vuelta a España, he has made it to the second rest day, looking to perhaps turn his fortunes around with a result in the final six stages.
It feels like a long time since he was left agonisingly frustrated by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in the opening stage time trial in Monaco, missing out by the barest of margins, just nine hundredths of a second.
Since then, Hayter has been in the wars, attacking in several breakaways, picking up combativity prizes, and more recently, battling against the time cut as his body takes a beating in the sweltering heat of southern Spain. His worst day, though, was on stage 12 to Calar Alto, where he thought his race might come to an abrupt end.
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"I really suffered in the heat and especially the humidity. Actually, a few days ago, I was a bit, yeah, just really… I didn't think I'd make it the last couple of days," Hayter told Cyclingnews on the morning of stage 15, taking a long pause to gather his words.
"But I got through it, and now today I woke up feeling a bit better."
Hayter went on to confirm that he seemed past the worst of his suffering in the Vuelta as he made it into the initial 11-man breakaway on Sunday, before riding to his best stage finish since stage 8, in 72nd.
But that can be counted as somewhat of a win when considering just how much Hayter really had to fight to even get through the second week, at times feeling "delirious" as he soldiered on.
"It depends. I mean, as a team, the boys have been racing really well. I've not been able to do much the last few days," he said.
"Especially three days ago was actually the worst. I was feeling delirious and sick, hanging on to the car and getting water constantly. So yeah, yesterday was better, but the day before I was also in a group of seven for almost the whole stage - and we made the time limit - but half of those guys have gone home now, so I'm definitely surviving."
Major test on Thursday
The big goal for Hayter will be to make it to the stage 18 time trial to Jerez, a day where he will be one of the favourites for victory in the flat 32km race against the clock.
It could see him take revenge for the opening stage, with his closest competitors from that day, Pogačar and compatriot Josh Tarling, both abandoning the race, leaving former Vuelta stage winner and fellow specialist Stefan Küng, and a red-hot Wout van Aert, as his likely main rivals.
"I think you stay in to try, and there are more opportunities. Like today, hopefully, I feel better and I can race a bit more," he said, explaining the decision to battle on despite the feelings of sickness.
"Obviously, Thursday is a big opportunity for me, for the team, and we've been really close to a win with some really nice results, and we'll keep trying."
But Hayter isn't just racing for potential glory that day. As mentioned, for the first time in his career, he's left in the uncertain territory of not yet having a team confirmed for the upcoming season.
He also shed some light on the harsh reality of how much one stage result could change a rider's fortunes when it comes to securing stability, despite its lack of impact on how they might actually perform from race to race. Having suffered the struggles, a lot will be riding on those 32 kilometres for the 27-year-old.
"I'm still not sure yet," he said when asked if he did indeed know which colours he would race in come January 1, and how much bearing the TT could have on him ending the uncertainty.
"I mean, it definitely helps. Personally, in general, I find it frustrating sometimes that one result can change things, which it does annoyingly. But you, as a rider and your capabilities, what result I do on Thursday, for example, it doesn't actually affect anything that I could do in the next two years, but that's how sport goes.
"Yeah, it's definitely tricky. I mean, it's the first time I've been in this situation. In the past, I was always either signed up, or I kind of knew it was pretty certain already. But it's part of sport sometimes."
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