Jay Vine produced a dominant climbing display to win stage 10 of the Vuelta a España, while his teammate Juan Ayuso publicly criticized UAE Team Emirates, accusing the management of running the team “like a dictatorship.”
The Australian rider, already leading the mountains classification, powered away from Pablo Castrillo on the decisive slopes of the Larra-Belagua. Vine had initially ruled out going for the stage win due to the relentless pace in the peloton, with average speeds surpassing 49 km/h. However, as the race unfolded, he bridged across to the breakaway group and seized the opportunity. With 5km to go, Vine launched his attack on a sharp bend, leaving Castrillo behind to secure his second stage win of this Vuelta and the fourth overall for UAE Team Emirates.
While Vine celebrated, the day began with off-road drama. Ayuso, whose early contract termination was announced by the team during the rest day, expressed frustration at the decision to publicize the news mid-race. He argued that the agreement had been to release the information after the Vuelta, accusing management of attempting to damage his reputation. Despite his strong words, Ayuso still rode aggressively in support of team leader João Almeida on the final climb.
Almeida now sits third in the general classification, just 12 seconds off Torstein Træen, who lost the red jersey to Jonas Vingegaard. The Danish rider, a two-time Tour de France champion, calmly reclaimed the overall lead, positioning himself for a push towards a first Vuelta title.
Tom Pidcock also impressed on the climb, holding fourth overall. The British rider, who had a heated exchange with Almeida on stage nine, revealed that the pair had since reconciled. Pidcock described himself as feeling “super good” after back-to-back strong rides, with his confidence growing as the race intensifies.
Looking ahead, Vingegaard acknowledged the challenges of the upcoming mountain stages, including the brutal ascent of L’Angliru. With rivals like Pidcock, Almeida, and Træen all within striking distance, the battle for the red jersey promises to heat up further as the Vuelta moves into a decisive week of climbing.
