Spain’s Juan Ayuso held off Javier Romo to win stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana in a breakaway as Jonas Vingegaard retained the general race lead.

Ayuso, 22, who additionally gained stage seven and is leaving UAE Group Emirates-XRG on the finish of the season, was joined by his compatriot as he tried to go solo on the ultimate climb of the day, about 26km from the end of the 144.9km route from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna.

Romo completed second and France’s Brieuc Rolland crossed in third, earlier than Victor Campenaerts led dwelling a 16-man group that shaped from a bigger contingent of over 40 escapees earlier within the day.

“I had already gained a stage and he needed to pull extra if he wished to win the stage,” Ayuso informed TNT Sports activities.

“I used to be informed from the automotive to play it like this. It isn’t one thing I actually get pleasure from, not co-operating absolutely, however someday it’s a must to play it good.

“I knew how one can time my dash and I timed it completely.”

Vingegaard was flanked by his Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates as he got here dwelling over six minutes later, together with different GC favourites together with Joao Almeida and Britain’s Tom Pidcock.

The ultimate 100 metres to the road was marked by a present of pro-Palestinian protest flags, however there was no repeat of stage 11 when racing was affected and curtailed three kilometres earlier than the end in Bilbao.

That had led to race technical director Kiko Garcia reportedly discussing the Israel-Premier Tech group, exterior within the context of the protection of the remainder of the peloton.

Friday’s thirteenth stage is the second longest on this 12 months’s Vuelta at 202.7km and it ought to see the overall classification race ignite on the ultimate climb, a brutal summit end on the Angliru the place gradients will ramp up above 20%.