Third day of racing in 2025 and second victory for Juan Ayuso. The Iberian rider, after his success last Sunday in France at the Faun Drome Classic, confirmed himself at the Trofeo Laigueglia, winning the Italian classic ahead of Christian Scaroni and Michael Storer.

For the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider, third last year in Liguria and second in 2022, this is an important confirmation of his excellent form, a condition with which he will now look with even more confidence at his upcoming seasonal goals.

"This is a tough race that I like. I've been second once, third once, and today I finally got the podium spot that was still missing for me, the first," said the Barcelona-born 2002 class rider after the race.

"The team worked very well for me, pulling and controlling the race all day and setting a great uphill pace to favor me. In the final circuit, I always had someone by my side to watch the movements of others, and I'm happy to have completed the work in the best way possible. The rivals? Scaroni was very strong uphill, I couldn't drop him, then later Storer and Powless came back to us, but I had confidence in my sprint and knew I had good chances of beating them in the finale," Ayuso continued before talking about his near future.

"I approach the next races with confidence. I worked very well this winter and I'm happy to see the results in the race. Now we're going to Tirreno-Adriatico with confidence and the desire to do the best possible. Win it? Yes, last year I was second and, since one always wants to improve, to succeed I can only come first. It's difficult but it can be done."

Even more challenging will be winning the Giro d'Italia, the major seasonal goal that the Spanish rider, as his words confirm, has already seriously set his sights on.

"Now we'll go to Siena to see the gravel stage and the time trial in Pisa, so we'll stay in the area for Tirreno. The Giro? It's a race that excites me. I won it when I was Under 23, and that success, I can't say it changed my life, but it certainly helped me a lot afterwards, making me move up to the pros with more confidence. Italy has always treated me well, and for this reason, I want to do my best possible."