photo credits @ WTFK
Juan Ayuso blitzed the 18.5km individual time-trial on stage three of the Tour of Romandie on Friday to take the overall lead of the race.
The 20-year-old Team UAE rider is a strong climber who will defend his lead on Saturday’s ‘Queen’ stage over five Alpine climbs on the way to the ski resort of Thyon at an altitude of 2,076m
To claim his first world-tour triumph, Ayuso completed the largely flat 18.5km time trial in 25min 15sec in a highly rural setting in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, with less cornering than an urban route, and less road furniture.
Matteo Jorgenson of Movistar was second at five seconds while Ayuso’s British teammate Adam Yates was third at 17sec.
Ayuso leads the overall standings by 18sec form Jorgenson with world time-trial champion Tobias Foss, a Norwegian who rides for Jumbo-Visma, in third at 19sec.
French climber Romain Bardet had a disappointing day dropping 57sec on the winner, while 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal dropped 59sec as he struggles for full fitness.
Foss and prologue winner Josef Cerny set the early pace with Foss ending 25sec down in eighth.
The once mighty Chris Froome, a four time Tour de France winner, finished 3min 19sec down as he seeks a start place on the Israel Premier Tech team for the Tour de rance
After Saturday’s likely decisive stage, Sunday’s finale is a 170km run to Geneva over two categorized climbs.
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