Ayuso Wins Giro d'Italia Stage 7, Roglic Takes Pink Jersey

Juan Ayuso wins stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia, claiming his first Grand Tour stage victory, while Primoz Roglic takes the pink jersey.

Juan Ayuso secured his maiden Grand Tour stage win at the Giro d'Italia's seventh stage, crossing the finish line first in Tagliacozzo. Ayuso outpaced his rivals with a powerful sprint in the final 400 meters of the 168km ride from Castel di Sangro, clocking in at 4h20'25" with an average speed of 38.707 km/h.

Ayuso's teammate, Isaac del Toro, finished second, just four seconds behind, while Egan Bernal of Ineos Grenadiers took third place. Meanwhile, Primoz Roglic claimed the Maglia Rosa, the leader of the General Classification, despite finishing fourth on the stage. Roglic holds a slim four-second lead over Ayuso and nine seconds over del Toro in the overall standings.

“It's my fourth Grand Tour, and especially in the two Vueltas a Espana I raced, I was sometimes very close, but I never managed to pull it off,” Ayuso said.

Juan Ayuso expressed his excitement over winning his first Grand Tour stage, saying, “So to finally do it today in my first Giro d'Italia is something super special that I will always remember.” The 22-year-old's powerful finish on the climb to Tagliacozzo secured his maiden victory.

Meanwhile, Primoz Roglic took the leader's pink jersey after Egan Bernal finished third on the stage, edging Roglic out of a podium spot. Roglic benefited from Mads Pedersen losing touch on the final climb, allowing him to seize the Maglia Rosa.

The seventh stage marked the first major test for the general classification contenders, and it delivered. As expected, Mads Pedersen struggled on the demanding terrain, ultimately losing his grip on the pink jersey.

The stage's challenging route, featuring multiple climbs from the outset and a steep finish, left little room for error. The riders faced a grueling test, and the outcome reshuffled the overall standings, paving the way for new contenders to emerge.

An early breakaway group of seven riders gained a maximum lead of four minutes but was eventually caught with 5km to go, just as they reached the start of the final 12km climb. Despite their efforts, the breakaway's advantage dwindled rapidly as the peloton closed in.

HIGH PRAISE 👏

Tadej Pogačar congratulates teammate Juan Ayuso on his first Grand Tour stage win at the Giro d’Italia! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/FPMNCPqu5K

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) May 16, 2025

Mads Pedersen contributed to the chase, putting in significant work at the front of the peloton to set up potential teammates Giulio Ciccone and Mathias Vacek for a chance at victory. However, it was ultimately Juan Ayuso who seized the opportunity and claimed the stage win.

As the riders approached the finish line, Mads Pedersen's chances of winning faded. Giulio Ciccone made an early move with about 1km to go, but he couldn't break away from the group and was left frustrated.

Egan Bernal also attempted to attack, but it was Juan Ayuso who timed his move perfectly. Ayuso stretched his lead to the line, securing the stage win. Reflecting on his strategy, Ayuso said, “I knew that I could do only one attack and not mess around with two or three on this final, which was very explosive.”

Juan Ayuso described his winning approach, saying, “When I saw my distance, I went full gas. It was important today to not only get the win but also try and recover the time I lost in the time trial.” Ayuso's stage victory propelled him to second place in the general classification, just four seconds behind new leader Primoz Roglic.

Isaac del Toro sits third overall, five seconds further back. Meanwhile, Mads Pedersen, now nearly 15 minutes behind Roglic, remains focused on the points jersey, which he still leads, and will aim to secure additional stage wins before the Giro concludes.