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Ayuso sprints to Vuelta stage 12 victory as tensions ease / Photo: © AFP
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Ayuso sprints to Vuelta stage 12 victory as tensions ease
Juan Ayuso sprinted to victory in the 12th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday to seal his second win at this year's race.
After stage 11 on Wednesday was cut short because of a pro-Palestinian protest at the finish line in Bilbao, it was a far quieter afternoon on the winding 145-kilometre ride from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna in the north of Spain.
People held up Palestinian flags along the route but there were no disturbances to the race as UAE Team Emirates' Ayuso edged out Spanish compatriot Javier Romo, with Brieuc Rolland coming in third, 13 seconds behind.
UAE announced this week they would part ways with Ayuso at the end of the season, with the Spaniard saying he felt he had been afforded a lack of respect by his team.
Leader Jonas Vingegaard and the peloton came in well over six minutes behind, but the Dane stays in red, followed by Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock.
Despite pressure from organisers on Israel-Premier Tech to pull out, given they were the target of the protests, they refused to and started the stage in Laredo.
After the first few kilometres a 40-strong break shook loose of the peloton, with more riders bridging the gap to create a 52-man break.
The huge group put nearly five minutes between themselves and the peloton which included Vingegaard in the red jersey.
Eventually the break fractured and Ayuso pushed out in front with Romo hot on his tail.
Ayuso showed greater power to fly past Romo on the home straight, with the latter slapping his handlebars in frustration as the former celebrated.
"The sprint... I did quite well," said the triumphant 22-year-old, linked with a move to Lidl-Trek for next season.
"I know this road a lot because it's where the junior races finish as well, so I knew how to time my sprint."
The general classification favourites had a quiet afternoon, saving their legs for the challenge to come on Friday.
Riders will tackle one of the toughest climbs of the race in Angliru, where the stage ends after a 202.7 kilometre route from Cabezon de la Sal in Cantabria.
H.King--SFF
