Juan Ayuso will not start Friday's sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné due to a fever and an upset stomach.

The talented young Spaniard was in eighth place overall after a good performance in the mid-race time trial.

However, his UAE Team Emirates team announced Thursday morning that Ayuso would be withdrawing from the race due to illness.

"Sadly, Juan Ayuso developed a fever yesterday and will not start today's Dauphiné stage," the team announced.

"Juan complained of stomach discomfort and diarrhea before yesterday's stage. He received proper medical attention but subsequently developed a fever and mild dehydration."

"A covid test was performed, which was negative. However, when we checked him this morning, his fever had not gone down and his condition had not improved overnight. He therefore cancelled his participation in the event.

The news is a major blow to UAE Team Emirates. The 19-year-old was the team's best chance for a podium finish ahead of the weekend's mountain stages.

Ayuso turned pro with the team midway through last season after a dominant victory in the U23 Giro d'Italia and has been impressive in 2022. He has finished second in the Trofeo Raigeria, fifth in the Volta a Catalunya, and fourth in the Tour de Romandie.

In the closing stages of the Dauphiné, he battled with the Jumbo-Visma trio of Van Aert, Primos Roglic, and Jonas Vingegaard, as well as Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers).

UAE Team Emirates will look to Brandon McNulty, who is in 18th place, 2:45 behind the race lead. The American finished 32nd in the 31.9-km time trial on stage 4.