“If you have to be beaten by someone, you want it to be Filippo Ganna” – Juan Ayuso strengthens Algarve lead despite TT defeat

Juan Ayuso may have finished second on Stage 3 of the Volta ao Algarve, but the Spaniard left Vilamoura with something far more important than a stage trophy: a firmer grip on the yellow jersey.

Beaten only by Filippo Ganna in the 19.5-kilometre individual time trial, Ayuso delivered a ride that both confirmed his form and extended his advantage over his closest rivals in the general classification.

Ganna stopped the clock in 21:53.663, with Ayuso just 5.686 seconds slower in 21:59.349. More crucially, he finished 7 seconds ahead of Paul Seixas on the stage, turning their overnight deadlock into a tangible overall lead.

“I’m happy,” Ayuso said afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net. “It was my first time trial with the team, and I was competitive. Of course, it’s the second day in a row that I’ve finished second, so that’s not ideal. But if you look at the overall picture for the general classification, it was a good day for us. We have to take it from there.”

Ayuso was quickest at the intermediate split and ultimately came closest to Ganna’s benchmark on a flat course that suited pure specialists. For the 23-year-old, the identity of the winner mattered.

“If you have to be beaten by someone, you want it to be Filippo,” he said. “He’s one of the best time trial specialists in the world. So if I have to lose to someone, I’m happy it’s him.”

The performance carried additional significance given the circumstances. This was Ayuso’s first time trial in competition with Lidl Trek, and the equipment transition had been a talking point before the stage.

“I’m really happy,” he explained. “It was my first time trial with the team, and you never really know how it’s going to feel in competition. I wasn’t doubting, but you don’t know until you race. All the equipment from the team was really good, I felt really well on the bike, and I think that showed on the course.”

While Ganna celebrated the stage win, the broader damage was done elsewhere. Seixas limited his losses well to finish fourth, but conceded seven seconds to Ayuso. João Almeida endured a tougher afternoon, losing significant time and slipping to 44 seconds down overall.

After three stages, the general classification margins remain tight at the top. “I checked the general classification quite quickly,” Ayuso said. “Paul is still only five or six seconds behind me, and seeing how strong he was yesterday, and with a hard stage coming on the last day, it’s still going to be tight. It will be a real fight.”

That final point may prove decisive. With a demanding closing stage still to come, the Volta ao Algarve remains finely poised. Ayuso has turned a shared lead into a measurable advantage, but the race is far from settled.