"We saw the real Juan Ayuso today" - Resurgent UAE star takes first Vuelta stage win on emotional day in the mountains

After a testing start to this year’s Vuelta a España, Juan Ayuso delivered a performance of control and determination on Stage 7, riding to a solo victory in Cerler that marked his first ever stage win at his home Grand Tour.

“This is one of my best victories,” Ayuso said after the finish, visibly spent but glowing with pride in his post-stage interview afterwards. “Because of how difficult it was.”

The difficulty, in this case, came less from the gradients themselves than from the way the stage unfolded. Ayuso attacked early — not from the day’s break, but well before one had formed — launching a long-range move on the lower slopes of the Port del Cantó with only 10 kilometres raced. It was a bold call, but a necessary one. “The peloton, especially Visma, didn’t want to let me get away,” he explained. “So I had to ride the first hour alone. I knew that if I waited, they would never let me go.”

Team Visma | Lease a Bike, with red jersey duties and Jonas Vingegaard in their ranks, were clearly reluctant to allow a rider of Ayuso’s quality into the break. But the 22-year-old persisted, cresting the Cantó alone before being joined by Mads Pedersen and, eventually, a larger group of escapees.

By the time the race reached the second climb, the Puerto de la Creu de Perves, a 12-rider group had formed, including Ayuso’s teammate Jay Vine, Pedersen, Sean Quinn, Harold Tejada, and others. Crucially, the UAE pair worked well together — Vine taking maximum KOM points while also helping control the pace on the approach to the final ascent. “I knew I had to get over the Puerto del Cantó ahead of the others to be in the breakaway,” Ayuso said. “In the end, Jay did a very good job and I was able to finish it off.”

With 12.1 kilometres remaining and the final climb to Cerler ahead, UAE’s numerical advantage in the break proved decisive. Vine led the group onto the lower slopes, before Ayuso launched his attack just inside 10km to go. Only Marco Frigo was able to respond initially, but the Italian soon lost contact as Ayuso pushed on alone.

The day belonged to Ayuso — a rider who had spoken openly earlier this week about not yet finding his best legs. After missing the decisive moves on Stage 6, this was a sharp response. “To win a stage here in La Vuelta — my favourite race — and to do it this way, it’s something I’ll always remember,” he said. “I’m super proud.”

Ayuso’s win completes a successful three-day spell for UAE Team Emirates. The squad won the opening team time trial in Valencia, Jay Vine added Stage 6 in Andorra, and now Ayuso has delivered again in the high mountains. The team may lack a pure sprinter, as Ayuso acknowledged, but their presence in the GC and mountains classifications is unmistakable.

“Winning three stages in a row with the team is super nice,” he said. “First with the team time trial, then Jay’s win yesterday — which was special for him, with his wife and child there — and now this.”

With over two weeks of racing still to come, and riders like Almeida and Ayuso continuing to show ambition, UAE are clearly not just collecting stage wins — they are playing an active role in shaping this Vuelta.