Ayuso Wins Stage 12 Of The Vuelta A Espana

2 days ago

Steve Sutcliffe

BBC Sport journalist

Spain's Juan Ayuso held disconnected Javier Romo to triumph shape 12 of nan Vuelta a Espana successful a breakaway arsenic Jonas Vingegaard retained nan wide title lead.

Ayuso, 22, who besides won shape 7 and is leaving UAE Team Emirates-XRG astatine nan extremity of nan season, was joined by his compatriot arsenic he tried to spell solo connected nan last climb of nan day, astir 26km from nan decorativeness of nan 144.9km way from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna.

Romo vanished 2nd and France's Brieuc Rolland crossed successful third, earlier Victor Campenaerts led location a 16-man group that formed from a larger contingent of complete 40 escapees earlier successful nan day.

"I had already won a shape and he had to propulsion much if he wanted to triumph nan stage," Ayuso told TNT Sports.

"I was told from nan car to play it for illustration this. It is not thing I really enjoy, not co-operating fully, but sometime you person to play it smart.

"I knew really to clip my sprint and I timed it perfectly."

Vingegaard was flanked by his Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates arsenic he came location complete six minutes later, on pinch different GC favourites including Joao Almeida and Britain's Tom Pidcock.

The last 100 metres to nan statement was marked by a show of pro-Palestinian protestation flags, but location was nary repetition of shape 11 when racing was affected and curtailed 3 kilometres earlier nan decorativeness successful Bilbao.

That had led to title method head Kiko Garcia reportedly discussing the Israel-Premier Tech team, external successful nan discourse of nan information of nan remainder of nan peloton.

Friday's 13th shape is nan 2nd longest successful this year's Vuelta astatine 202.7km and it should spot nan wide classification title ignite connected nan last climb, a sadistic acme decorativeness connected nan Angliru wherever gradients will ramp up supra 20%.