Giro d’Italia 2025: Ayuso’s Breakthrough Moment

In a thrilling seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia 2025, Juan Ayuso made history by claiming his first Grand Tour stage win, while Primoz Roglic seized the overall leader’s pink jersey. The 22-year-old Spaniard from UAE Team Emirates-XRG powered away from the group of general classification contenders over the final climb to take the win by four seconds.

Ayuso’s victory marked a breakthrough moment in his career, which has seen him come close to winning a stage in his previous three Grand Tours. “It’s my fourth Grand Tour. I’ve been very close [to a stage win] but I never managed to pull it off,” Ayuso said. “To finally do it today in my first Giro d’Italia is something super special and I will always remember.”

Roglic, the 2023 Giro champion, took over the overall leader’s pink jersey from Mads Pedersen, who lost touch as expected on the final climb. The Danish classics rider’s loss allowed Roglic to move to the top of the overall standings, with a 4-second lead over Ayuso.

The 168km stage from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo was the first mountain stage of the 2025 edition, and it saw the contenders for the general classification come to the fore. Great Britain’s Max Poole of Picnic PostNL finished ninth on the stage, moving up to fifth overall.

The stage eight on Saturday will be a similar medium mountain stage from Giulianova to Castelraimondo over 197km. With the general classification contenders now firmly in the mix, the competition is expected to be fierce in the coming days.

Stage seven results

1. Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4hr 20mins 25secs

2. Isaac Del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +4secs

3. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) Same time

4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe)

5. Giulio Ciccone (Ita/Lidl-Trek)

6. Antonio Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious)

7. Damiano Caruso (Ita/Bahrain Victorious)

8. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost)

9. Max Poole (GB/Team Picnic PostNL) +8secs

10. Michael Storer (Aus/Tudor Pro Cycling) Same time

General classification after stage seven

1. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) 24hrs 32mins 30secs

2. Juan Ayuso (Spa/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +4secs

3. Isaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +9secs

4. Antonio Tiberi (Ita/Bahrain Victorious) +27secs

5. Max Poole (GB/Team Picnic PostNL) +30secs

6. Michael Storer (Aus/Tudor Pro Cycling) +33secs

7. Brandon McNulty (USA/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +34secs

8. Mathias Vacek (Cze/Lidl-Trek) +37secs

9. Simon Yates (GB/Visma-Lease a Bike) +39secs

10. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost) Same time