Ayuso seals Tirreno-Adriatico as Milan claims final sprint stage

MILAN: Juan Ayuso sealed his victory at the Tirreno-Adriatico on Sunday after cruising home in the final procession stage won in a bunch sprint by Jonathan Milan.

Italian Milan won his second stage of the week-long race to claim the points jersey after pipping Ireland´s Sam Bennett, who only just failed in his bid to catch the local hero on the line. The Lidl-Trek rider triumphed in a nervy ending in San Benedetto del Tronto on Italy´s Adriatic coast in which Soudal Quick-Step´s Paul Magnier crashed and took out a clutch of other riders.

“I´m really happy to get the second win, it was a big goal for me and the team,” said Milan, who had a hard fall on Wednesday, to broadcaster RAI. “In the end I managed to recover as best I could. My side still hurts a bit but it´s all good.”

Team UAE´s Ayuso rolled in with the peloton to claim the second stage race triumph of his career, his first coming in the Tour of the Basque country in 2024. The 22-year-old has also won one-day races Trofeo Laigueglia and the Drome Classic in an impressive start to 2025.

Ayuso, who came second behind Jonas Vingegaard in last year´s “Race of Two Seas”, did the hard work on Saturday by winning the Queen Stage, a punishing summit finish to Frontignano. He ended the week 35 seconds ahead of Filippo Ganna who was tipped by Milan as the favourite for Milan San-Remo, which kicks the Spring season fully into gear next weekend.

Ineos rider Ganna, a two-time time-trial world champion and a track cycling specialist, led the race from the first stage until Ayuso´s impressive display in the mountains on Saturday. “The big favourite is the one who finished the week second. We´ve all seen what great condition he´s in and I´m happy to see him battling at the top,” said Milan. Ayuso could lead UAE´s bid to retain the Giro d´Italia in May, a year after the team´s major star Tadej Pogacar romped to the title.