ROME, 6th March, 2025 (WAM) -- Following an afternoon of breathless attacks in the Ligurian hills, Juan Ayuso won the 2025 Trofeo Laigueglia from a four-up sprint, giving UAE Team Emirates-XRG victory in the first race on Italian soil of the campaign.

It was a strong acceleration from the 22-year-old, who adds the Italian one-day race to his victory in the Faun Drome Classic on Sunday.

In taking his second win from three race days in 2025, Ayuso not only became the second UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider to win Trofeo Laigueglia - after Jan Polanc in 2022 - but the first Spanish winner in the race's 61-year history.

Earlier in the race, it was Ayuso's UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad that piled the pressure on his rivals. As the peloton made a series of ascents of the Colla Micheri climb, the Emirati squad drove the pace at the front of the bunch, ensuring that the number of contenders dwindled as the finale came into view.

Both through Igor Arrieta and Antonio Morgado, Ayuso had teammates strong enough to make a difference. It was on the third ascent of this defining climb that their work truly began to pay off, as the numbers of riders in the wheel began to drop considerably, and Ayuso lay in wait for a big attack. This was, of course, how the Faun Drome Classic was won on Sunday afternoon.

This time around, the Spaniard would not go it alone, but with Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost) and Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana Team) in the wheel. Once Morgado had dropped the hammer for one last time, Ayuso sensed his chance to attack with 20.9km to ride. Opening a gap with Powless and Scaroni, neither Ayuso nor Scaroni was happy to have the EF Education-EasyPost rider along for the ride.

Over the top of the Colla Micheri, Ayuso and Scaroni produced a series of blows which had Powless in trouble, but the American produced a smart descent alongside Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) to make the front group four-strong heading towards the final 10km of racing.

Through the final two climbs of the day, a similar situation played out once more, with Ayuso and Scaroni trading blows, as Powless and Storer stuck to task behind, eager to take any opportunity for recovery with the final sprint in mind. As such, the group of four was forced to accept that only a sprint would decide the day's winner as the finish line approached.

Twice a podium finisher in this race, all eyes were on Ayuso under the flamme rouge, but the 22-year-old did not let this disrupt him from finishing the job. With his rivals keen to follow the wheel, Ayuso accepted the mandate and became the first to open up his acceleration.

Once he had launched his sprint, it soon became clear that Ayuso was truly the strongest rider of the day in Laigueglia. The Spaniard was able to celebrate another impressive victory as he crossed the line in first, ahead of Scaroni and Storer.

It was no less than the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider deserved, with his team controlling proceedings all afternoon and Ayuso animating a thrilling final hour of racing.

Speaking to the TV crews beyond the finish, Ayuso heaped praise on his teammates and looked forward to his next goals in Italy.

Ayuso said, "It was the place I was missing. I did one time third, one time second and now finally I have also finished first. I am glad I could finish the work of the team! We controlled all day, we made a hard pace on the climbs and then on the final circuit, I always had a teammate with me covering every move."

On the other hand, Matthias Schwarzbacher from the UAE Team Emirates Gen Z jersey has gifted the team a victory in the Umag Classic.