Juan Ayuso won the seventh stage at Giro d’Italia in the Abruzzo. Mads Pedersen had to hand in the pink jersey of the overall leader to Primoz Roglic.
Ayuso won the first mountain arrival of this year’s Italian tour after 168 kilometers from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo and celebrated his first stage victory on a big tour.
The Mexican Isaac del Toro drove to second place and ensured a double victory from the UAE Team Emirates – XRG. The former tour winner Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) from Colombia became third.
Roglic takes over Rosa jersey
Mads Pedersen had to tear off before the final climb and lost the overall lead. Primoz Roglic, who had to go on the last sprint at the mountain arrival alone, will take over the pink jersey. The captain of the German Team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is only a four-second lead over the Spanish day winner Ayoso, whose team-mate del Toro is another five seconds behind.
“My first victory in the Giro. This is so special, I will always remember that”said Ayuso at Eurosport – and dared to make a war towards Roglic: “Of course, the self -confidence for the next few days. I hope that I will be ahead on the day of rest.”
The first day of rest is on Monday, the other two mountain arrangements will only take place in the final week. “The team was outstanding today, especially after yesterday. This is a good result, I’m happy”, said Roglic.
A group of outlets around the three Italians Alessandro Tonelli, Manuele Tarzzi, Gianmarco Garofoli and the Frenchman Nicolas Prodhomme had long driven in the Abruzzo and saved the lead despite strong winds on a straight street towards Tagliacozzo. The outliers took just more than a minute ahead of the twelve -kilometer final climb in the first category, with an average inclination of 5.5 percent.
Ayuso strong on the final climb
Exactly five kilometers before the finish, they were collected by the approximately 20 driver strong main field, with all the favorites on the pink jersey. Bahrain-Victorious put a pace for captain Antonio Tiberi, Ineos Grenadiers countered. The best strategy had Team UAE Emirates – XRG. Bernal’s first attack was collected immediately. Then Ayuso pulled the pace at the right moment, 500 meters before the finish line after a right-left return and saved the lead quite confidently over the finish line at 1,425 meters.
The 8th stage on Saturday leads over 197 kilometers from Giulianova to Castelraimondo. The field must again master 3,800 meters of altitude, including an increase in the first category.