Juan Ayuso Triumphs at Tirreno-Adriatico

Ayuso’s GC victory: A statement performance

Ayuso’s triumph at Tirreno-Adriatico marks a significant milestone in his career. Having already won the Faun Drome Classic and Trofeo Laigueglia earlier this season, he continued his impressive form in Italy. His commanding victory on Saturday’s queen stage earned him the leader’s jersey and a crucial 37-second cushion heading into the final day.

“The trophy, for sure, is the coolest and the nicest one I have. It’s going to have a special place at home,” Ayuso said after the race. “I think we can probably say it’s my biggest victory, alongside País Vasco [Itzulia Basque Country], but here I also won a stage, so I think it’s my best performance so far.”

With this result, the UAE Team Emirates XRG rider is setting his sights on the Giro d’Italia, where he aims to defend his teammate Tadej Pogačar’s title. However, Ayuso remains grounded about the challenge ahead: “The Giro’s a big goal, but it’s three weeks long. It’s a different story, a different kind of race. This race is really hard to win, and the Giro is another step. We’ll take it day by day, and race by race. First, we have [Volta a] Catalunya.”

Final stage action: Milan outpaces the sprinters

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The concluding stage, a fast-paced 147km route from Porto Potenza Picena to San Benedetto del Tronto, was primed for a sprinter’s showdown. The peloton eased into the race, but a brief attack by Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) momentarily animated proceedings. The only major climb of the day, Ripatransone, failed to split the field, and the stage was set for a high-speed finale.

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) took a strategic approach, snatching three crucial bonus seconds in the final intermediate sprint. This move propelled him ahead of Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) in the GC standings, securing him second place overall by just one second.

With the race speeding toward the finish at over 60km/h, Lidl-Trek once again demonstrated their lead-out prowess. Milan, benefiting from impeccable positioning, launched his sprint with 200 metres to go and proved unstoppable, securing his second stage victory of the race.

“I’m super happy about this victory here in Tirreno,” Milan said. “I suffered a bit, but I made it to the finish line.”

The final sprint was not without drama, as a crash marred the closing moments. Soudal Quick-Step’s young sprinter Paul Magnier hit the asphalt in the chaotic rush for the top ten, marking his second fall of the day. A visibly shaken Milan expressed his concern post-race: “I hope no one is hurt really bad.”