Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) triumphed over his fellow Spaniard Javier Romo (Movistar) to claim victory in the 12th stage of the Vuelta a España, marking his second stage win in this edition of the race. Meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) maintains his lead in the general classification.
Protests and Race Continuation
Palestinian flags were once again visible following protests that led to the premature halt of Wednesday’s stage, but the race proceeded without serious incidents. The Israel-Premier Tech team stated that withdrawing from the Vuelta this year would set a « dangerous precedent in cycling » in response to the events that occurred during the 11th stage.
Ayuso’s Tactical Victory
Ayuso, who had previously won the seventh stage solo, was accompanied by Romo during the final 25 kilometers of a 144.9 km route from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna. The two riders had broken away from a leading group, and Ayuso timed his final attack perfectly to surpass Romo just before the finish line.
“After such a difficult day, you never know, and I had to play my cards,” Ayuso said, adding that his team’s car advised him to race tactically and make Romo believe he needed to « do more » if he wanted a chance to win the stage. “I had to make him a little nervous,” he clarified.
Ayuso’s journey in the Vuelta has been eventful so far. In addition to his two stage victories, this 22-year-old rider was seen as a contender for the general classification but lost valuable seconds after being dropped during the climbs. His imminent departure from the UAE Team Emirates was announced during Monday’s rest day, a moment that Ayuso criticized, accusing his team of acting « like a dictatorship. »
Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) finished third, 13 seconds behind, having attempted to close the gap in the final kilometers. Vingegaard finished comfortably in the peloton, which crossed the line over six minutes behind the stage leaders.
The general classification remained unchanged, with Vingegaard holding a 50-second lead over João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), who is 6 seconds behind in third place.