Ayuso wins stage three to lead Volta a Catalunya

Juan Ayuso, a member of the UAE Team Emirates-XRG, won the stage three photo finish competition, leading the Volta a Catalunya.

After the two pre-race favorites had cleared the field as the finish line approached, the Spaniard descended to the front of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Primoz Roglic, who was the Spaniard’s team, by the width of a tyre as the Spaniard advanced to the first major mountain stage.

With only four stages left, Ayuso now leads his Slovenian rival by six seconds in the overall classification.

Third-placed Spanish Soudal-QuickStep rider Mikel Landa, who is fifth overall in stage three, is five seconds further back.

The 218.6km climb from Viladecans to La Molina was a race for the climbers, despite the sprinters’ first two stages being in the favor of the sprinters, with British riders Matthew Brennan and Ethan Vernon each taking home one stage each.

1. Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 5 hrs 49 minutes 29 secs

2. Same time as Prince Roglic (Slo/Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe).

3. 2secs for Melikel Landa (Spa/Soudal-QuickStep).

4. 4 seconds added for LENNY MARTIN (Fra/Bahrain Victorious) + 4 seconds

1. Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 14 hrs 30 minutes 49 secs

2. Prioroz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) + 6secs

3. 11secs of Melekel Landa (Spa/Soudal-QuickStep) + 11 seconds

4. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) + 14 seconds