Ayuso rebounds to take maiden Vuelta stage victory while Træen retains red jersey

Juan Ayuso Rallies to Win Stage Seven of the Vuelta a España

Spanish rider Juan Ayuso made an impressive comeback just one day after struggling in the Pyrenees, attacking alone on the final climb to secure victory in the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España.

Torstein Træen kept the red jersey, maintaining his 2-minute 33-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard, who climbed from fifth to second in the overall standings but failed to reduce the gap to the Norwegian leader.

Ayuso, considered one of Vingegaard's main rivals before the race, had fallen far behind in the general classification after struggling on Thursday’s final climb. However, he returned to top form during the 188km route from Andorra la Vella to Cerler. Italy’s Marco Frigo finished over a minute behind in second, while Spaniard Raúl García Pierna took third.

Ayuso made an early breakaway before being joined by an 11-rider group, including his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Jay Vine. His decisive move came 11km from the finish.

The 22-year-old, who placed third overall in 2022 and fourth the following year, had been just eight seconds behind Vingegaard in second place before his struggles on Thursday. Although Ayuso remains nearly seven and a half minutes behind the race leader, he claimed his first individual Vuelta stage win after contributing to the team time trial victory in stage five.

“Winning a stage in the Vuelta, my favorite race, is amazing,” Ayuso said. “I’ll always remember how I won today. I’m really proud.”

Vingegaard attempted to distance himself from Træen in the final kilometers, but the Bahrain Victorious rider responded strongly. “It was a tough day,” the Danish rider said. “We wanted to conserve some energy, so we didn’t push too hard.”

The eighth stage on Saturday covers a flat 163.5km route from Monzón Templario to Zaragoza.

Froome Recovering After Crash

Meanwhile, there was encouraging news about Chris Froome’s condition, with Israel-Premier Tech reporting that the British cyclist was in “good spirits” following successful surgery after a crash in southern France left him with a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung, and five broken ribs.

The 40-year-old crashed during a training ride on Wednesday and was flown to a hospital in Toulon, approximately 100 miles from his home in Monaco.

A statement from his team read: “Chris has undergone successful surgery for his injuries. The procedures went as planned, and he is now recovering under medical supervision. He remains in good spirits and appreciates the excellent care he has received. Chris and his family thank fans, friends, and the cycling community for their support during this time.”

Froome’s injuries will likely end his season and could mark the conclusion of one of cycling’s most illustrious Grand Tour careers. The four-time Tour de France champion is in the final months of his five-year contract with Israel-Premier Tech.