Thursday, September 4th, 12th stage: Laredo > Los Corrales de Buelna
A week after claiming his first La Vuelta stage win at Cerler, Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) powered to a second victory in Los Corrales de Buelna, on roads that had already showcased his budding talent in youth categories. The Spaniard has now grown into a star who showed his grit and skills to claim victory from a hard-fought breakaway. Over the day’s climbs, Ayuso benefited from the crucial support of Marc Soler, his teammate in UAE Team Emirates-XRG – a squad he is set to leave at the end of the season – before launching his decisive attack with 25 km to go. Javier Romo (Movistar) managed to follow him, but couldn’t withstand his compatriot’s acceleration in a two-man sprint. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike) and his GC rivals crossed the line more than six minutes behind. Their big showdown is expected on stage 13, up the Alto de L’Angliru.
La Vuelta returns to Laredo, a municipality in Cantabria, hosting a stage start for the third time. A short and intense course leads the peloton to Los Corrales de Buelna, after summiting Puerto de Alisas and Collada de Brenes. Those roads bring sweet memories to Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who went over the same two climbs to take his first La Vuelta stage win at Pico Jano in 2022, and to the many youngsters who showed their worth on the roads of the Vuelta al Besaya, including Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis), Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers)…
A ferocious battle for the break
As usual, attackers are very much inspired by the day’s program. And the battle for the breakaway is brutal, on the flat, and then on the first climb of the day, the cat.-2 Puerto de Alisas.
Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) goes first at the summit, with an impressive cohort of attackers in his wake. The breakaway is made on the valley, with 53 riders at the front, including Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step), Magnus Sheffield, Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla)…
Ayuso gets the better of Romo
With no direct GC threat at the front – Armirail trails by 8’27’’ -, the gap gradually increases while Soren Kragh Andersen and Julien Bernard control the breakaway to ensure Mads Pedersen takes the full 20 points at the intermediate sprint, in Barros (km 103.2).
The breakaway then explodes as they go through Los Corrales de Buelna a first time, and then on the decisive climb of the day, Collada de Brenes (7 km at 7.9%). James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost), Finlay Pickering (Bahrain Victorious) and Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) take a head start but Soler works to propel Ayuso, who sets off 3 km away from the summit, with 25 km to go to the finish.
Javier Romo (Movistar) manages to come across, and the two Spaniards work together all the way to the line. Ayuso proves to be the fastest in a two-man sprint, while Rolland completes the top 3 with a gap of 13’’. The GC contenders cross the line with a gap of 6’20’’, on the eve of L’Angliru.
Stage 12
- Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG) 3h16’21”
- Javier Romo (Movistar Team) +0’00”
- Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) +0’13”
GC
- Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) 44h36’45”
- Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates XRG) +0’50”
- Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) +0’56”
