For Juan Ayuso, yesterday marked his first victory in a grand tour, and thanks to his success in Marsia, he is now second in the general classification, 4" behind Primoz Roglic. "It was a very important victory because it's not just a victory, but it's my first in a grand tour. I still remember my first professional victory, and it was an incredible feeling that I still cherish. This will also be a victory I'll always carry in my heart."

Today the race will arrive in Castelraimondo with several ups and downs, but the anticipation is for Sunday, when in Siena the riders will have to tackle the gravel sectors of Strade Bianche. "We know that Sunday's stage will be very tough, one of the most important and most challenging of the Giro. To race well, having good legs won't be enough, and it will be important to have a good dose of luck. There could be punctures, and it could become easy to ruin all the work done in a single moment. We hope to have a calm day."

Ayuso is considered one of the main favorites for the final victory, but the Spaniard is convinced that Roglic has a slight advantage over him. "The Giro favorite for me remains Roglic, the responsibility will always be theirs. However, I know that we are here with great ambitions and we will try to do our best every day."

The young UAE Emirates rider had an excellent race and in the finale dropped all his opponents, arriving solo at the Marzia finish line. "I followed Roglic's wheel throughout the climb because in these types of finales he is stronger. I know you must be calm in these situations and maintain composure, and when I saw the attacks begin, he slightly pulled back, I'm not sure if he was participating less. Then my moment came, and I knew I had to go all out and do so until the end."

This type of finale suited Ayuso perfectly, allowing him to demonstrate his excellent condition. "I had planned an attack of 30-40 seconds, and my legs were good. It was important for me to attack and win."

This is the first time the Spaniard receives captain's status in a grand tour, as his UAE Emirates XRG has always focused on Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian knows Ayuso well, and there's an excellent collaborative atmosphere in the team without rivalry. In this Giro, Isaac Del Toro is also present, and their relationship is also excellent. "Every time you race with Pogacar, there's always something extra you can learn. I haven't seen him for a while. I saw him in Granada before leaving for the Giro, but it was just 30 seconds, we didn't even have time to talk. Isaac Del Toro is not a rival, for me he's a teammate who helped me a lot at Tirreno and also demonstrated at Milano-Torino how well he can seize his chances. I believe we are a great pair and that we can do great things together in the Siena stage."