“I’m starting to become an expert at going for every bonus second” - Juan Ayuso takes control of Maillot Jaune at Paris-Nice 2026
Cycling
Juan Ayuso emerged from the Stage 3 team time trial at Paris-Nice in the race lead, with the Lidl-Trek rider taking control of the Maillot Jaune after a dramatic reshuffle of the general classification.
Although Lidl-Trek narrowly missed out on the stage victory in the 23.5-kilometre test against the clock, finishing just seconds behind INEOS Grenadiers, Ayuso’s strong individual time within the team effort was enough to move him to the top of the standings.
After three stages, the Spanish rider leads the race by two seconds over Kevin Vauquelin, with INEOS teammate Oscar Onley a further second behind.
Disappointment despite strong ride
Despite taking the yellow jersey, Ayuso admitted he felt mixed emotions after the stage, with Lidl-Trek falling agonisingly short of the stage victory.
“When you lose by only two seconds, and the team does the job they did today, it hurts,” Ayuso said after the finish in conversation with Cycling Pro Net. “Not only the riders but all the staff were really committed. To lose by such a small margin is painful, but we still have days ahead where we can try to get that result.”
The Spanish rider was among the strongest performers in the final kilometres of the team time trial, completing the closing section of the course alone to stop the clock with a time that briefly placed Lidl-Trek in the provisional lead before INEOS completed their run.
Yellow jersey but race still open
Ayuso was quick to emphasise that the race remains wide open despite his new position at the top of the standings. “There are still many hard days to come here, so everything is still to play for. But it’s nice to be in yellow.”
The margins remain extremely tight, with several of the race’s major contenders clustered within seconds after the team time trial. Behind Ayuso, the INEOS pair of Vauquelin and Onley sit second and third, while Daan Hoole of Decathlon CMA CGM Team occupies fourth place at thirteen seconds.
The strongest representatives from Team Visma | Lease a Bike are also still well positioned, with Bruno Armirail, Davide Piganzoli and Jonas Vingegaard all within seventeen seconds of the lead.
Bonus seconds becoming a weapon
Ayuso also highlighted the importance of bonus seconds in shaping the early stages of the race.
“I’m starting to become an expert at going for every bonus second,” he said with a smile. “I prefer longer climbs and a bit less stress, but I think I can defend myself quite well in those scenarios. If we can always be at the front, then it’s better.”
With the margins at the top of the classification still counted in seconds rather than minutes, Ayuso’s ability to collect those small time gains could yet prove decisive as the race moves into the more demanding stages later in the week.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
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- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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