Cerler, Spain – Spaniard Juan Ayuso powered to a solo victory on a grueling stage seven of the Vuelta a España on Friday, securing a third consecutive stage win for Team UAE. In a separate group, Torstein Traen of Bahrain Victorious maintained his grip on the race leader’s red jersey.
Ayuso’s victory on the mountainous 188-kilometer route from Andorra La Vella to Cerler came after he fell out of contention for the overall race on Thursday. The 22-year-old launched an early attack, forming part of the day’s main break with 140 kilometers remaining. He later surged clear with 11 kilometers to go and crossed the finish line with his fingers in his ears, perhaps in response to speculation about his role within the team.
The General Classification Battle
While Ayuso claimed the stage win, the general classification favorites were content to let the break stay up the road. Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard and his rival João Almeida rode in the main peloton, allowing race leader Traen to finish with them and maintain his overall advantage. A late attempt by Almeida to gain time on his rivals was quickly neutralized by Vingegaard, Traen, and others. Traen now holds a two-and-a-half-minute lead over Vingegaard in the general classification.
Stage Results and What’s Next
Ayuso’s win marks his first stage victory in this year’s race and his second in a Grand Tour. He finished one minute and 15 seconds ahead of Marco Frigo, with Arkea’s Raul Garcia Pierna securing third place. After back-to-back mountain stages, the riders will get some relief on Saturday with a relatively flat stage eight, stretching 163.5 kilometers from Monzon Templario to Zaragoza.
Discussion about this post