The Spanish sensation Juan Ayuso, riding for UAE Emirates, solidified his position as the top contender for the Tirreno-Adriático title by storming to the top of the leaderboard in the penultimate stage of the Italian race. This pivotal sixth stage, often referred to as the “queen stage,” saw Ayuso claim a stirring solo victory, crossing the finish line at the Frontignano ski resort, which coincidentally hosted a first-category mountain climb. His bold move came four kilometers from the finish, where he launched a decisive attack that would ultimately dislodge Italian favorite Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) from the coveted blue jersey, symbolizing leadership in the Race Between the Two Seas.
Ayuso, just 22 years old, demonstrated his remarkable prowess by securing the stage win, which propelled him into the overall lead. Ganna, on the other hand, found himself slipping to third place in the general classification, a disappointing 38 seconds behind Ayuso after conceding a minute to the Spanish rider, including a 10-second bonus. Antonio Tiberi, Ganna’s compatriot and teammate at Bahrain, moved into second place, now 37 seconds adrift of Ayuso’s blistering pace. Notably, Thomas Pidcock of Britain (Q36.5) and Australia’s Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) trailed Ayuso by a mere 13 seconds, claiming the second and third spots, respectively, in this exciting 163-kilometer stage.
For Ayuso, this stage victory marked his third triumph of the season, following his earlier successes in the Faun Drome Classic and Trofeo Laigueglia, both one-day events. As he stands poised to make history, he’s on the cusp of becoming the first Spanish rider to claim the Tirreno-Adriático title since Alberto Contador’s victory in 2014. In contrast, Rui Oliveira, also of UAE Emirates, faced a tough day, finishing 144th and last in the stage, a considerable 18 minutes and 29 seconds behind his teammate Ayuso.
As the Tirreno-Adriático hurtles towards its conclusion, the final stage on Sunday promises to be an electrifying affair. The 147-kilometer route from Porto Potenza Picena to San Benedetto del Tronto features a solitary mountainous challenge in the first half, followed by a predominantly flat stretch to the finish line, setting the stage for a potential sprint finish. With Ayuso firmly in the driver’s seat, the question on everyone’s lips is: can he maintain his grip on the blue jersey and etch his name into the history books as the champion of the 2024 Tirreno-Adriático? The answer will have to wait until Sunday’s thrilling finale.