"Vuelta a España: Ayuso triumphs over Romo in stage 12 sprint"

Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) edged out fellow Spaniard Javier Romo (Movistar) in a sprint finish to claim victory in stage 12 of the Vuelta a España, securing his second stage win of this year’s race. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) maintained his position as the overall leader.

Following protests that halted Wednesday’s stage prematurely, Palestinian flags were visible again, but the race concluded without major disruption. Meanwhile, Israel-Premier Tech stated that withdrawing from this year’s Vuelta would "establish a concerning precedent in cycling" following the events of stage 11.

Ayuso, who previously won stage seven with a solo effort, found himself alongside Romo for the final 25km of the 144.9km route from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna after the two broke away from a large leading group. Ayuso timed his final burst perfectly to overtake Romo just before the finish.

"After such a tough day, it was uncertain, and I had to make strategic decisions," Ayuso remarked, explaining that his team had advised him to ride carefully and pressure Romo into believing he needed to work harder for a chance at victory. "I had to make him a little uneasy," he added.

Ayuso’s Vuelta campaign has been eventful. In addition to his two stage wins, the 22-year-old was considered a contender for the overall title but lost significant time after struggling on climbs. On Monday’s rest day, it was revealed that Ayuso would be leaving UAE Team Emirates, a decision he criticized, accusing his team of operating "like a dictatorship."

France’s Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) finished third, 13 seconds behind, after a late push to close the gap in the final kilometers. Denmark’s Vingegaard crossed the line safely in the main group, which finished over six minutes behind the stage leaders.