“I am very happy and almost I can’t believe it" - Juan Ayuso reflects on first professional win

Juan Ayuso is only 19 years old but is within the list of best climbers in the peloton. He had not managed to win until today, but at the Circuito de Getxo he had his debut victory.

“I am very happy and almost I can’t believe it. I thank the team that helped me and trusted me," Ayuso said at the end of the race. He had started the Basque race as one of the favourites, however after a few near-misses over the last year, it seemed to be a difficult path for his first pro win. That path was crossed today.

The hilly race provided him the opportunity to succeed, and within the climbs of the race he managed to make the difference and get into a winning group of four that went on to fight for the stage win. "On the penultimate climb I got a puncture and couldn’t chase the two fugitives, but, as soon as I could, I bridged the gap I wanted this victory," he explained.

"In the final I gave everything and I finally managed to get this first victory as a professional. I couldn’t be happier," he exclamated. He beat Andrea Piccolo and Wilco Kelderman in the final sprint, raising his arms in glory for the first time since racing with UAE Team Emirates. The Barcelona-native will race the Vuelta a Burgos in the upcoming days, where he will once again be a major contender for the overall classification.