Juan Ayuso sprinted to victory in the 12th stage of the Vuelta a España 2025 on Thursday to seal his second win at this year's race.

After Stage 11 on Wednesday was cut short because of a pro-Palestinian protest at the finish line in Bilbao, it was a far quieter afternoon on the winding 145-kilometer ride from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna in the north of Spain.

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People held up Palestinian flags along the route, but there were no disturbances to the race as UAE Team Emirates' Ayuso edged Spanish compatriot Javier Romo, with Brieuc Rolland coming in third, 13 seconds behind.

UAE announced this week they would part ways with Ayuso at the end of the season, with the Spaniard saying he felt he had been afforded a lack of respect by his team.

Leader Jonas Vingegaard and the peloton came in well over six minutes behind, but the Dane stays in red, followed by Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock.

Despite pressure from organizers on Israel-Premier Tech to pull out, given they were the target of the protests, they refused to and started the stage in Laredo.

After the first few kilometers, a 40-strong break shook loose of the peloton, with more riders bridging the gap to create a 52-man break.

The huge group put nearly five minutes between themselves and the peloton, which included Vingegaard in the red jersey.

Eventually, the break fractured, and Ayuso pushed out in front with Romo hot on his tail.

Ayuso showed greater power to fly past Romo on the home straight, with the latter slapping his handlebars in frustration as the former celebrated.

"The sprint... I did quite well," said the triumphant 22-year-old, linked with a move to Lidl-Trek for next season. "I know this road a lot because it's where the junior races finish as well, so I knew how to time my sprint."

The General Classification favorites had a quiet afternoon, saving their legs for the challenge to come on Friday.

Riders will tackle one of the toughest climbs of the race in Angliru, where the stage ends after a 202.7-kilometer route from Cabezon de la Sal in Cantabria.

Vuelta a España 2025 Stage 12 Results – Top 25

1. Juan Ayuso Pesquera (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 03:16:21 (B14)
2. Javier Romo Oliver (Movistar Team) – 03:16:21 (B12)
3. Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ) – 03:16:34 (B6)
4. Victor Campenaerts (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 03:16:38
5. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) – 03:16:38
6. Nico Denz (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 03:16:38
7. Damien Howson (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) – 03:16:39
8. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) – 03:16:39
9. Mikel Beloki (EF Education - EasyPost) – 03:16:39
10. Pablo Castrillo Zapater (Movistar Team) – 03:16:39
11. Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step) – 03:16:39
12. Lennert Craps (Lotto) – 03:16:39
13. Archie Balderstone Roumens (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) – 03:16:39
14. Michel Heßmann (Movistar Team) – 03:16:39
15. Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) – 03:16:39
16. Giovanni Aleotti (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 03:16:39
17. Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – 03:16:39
18. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 03:16:39
19. Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) – 03:16:39
20. Xander Pickering (Bahrain Victorious) – 03:16:45
21. Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) – 03:17:57
22. Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers) – 03:17:57
23. Eduardo Sepulveda (Lotto) – 03:17:57
24. Gianmarco Garofoli (Soudal Quick-Step) – 03:17:57
25. Chris Hamilton (Team Picnic PostNL) – 03:17:57 

Vuelta a España 2025 Overall Standings – Top 25 After Stage 12

1. Jonas Vingegaard Hansen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 44:36:45
2. João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 44:37:35
3. Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) – 44:37:41
4. Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious) – 44:37:51
5. Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – 44:39:02
6. Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – 44:39:08
7. Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 44:39:11
8. Jai Hindley (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 44:39:15
9. Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) – 44:39:18
10. Giovanni Pellizzari (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 44:39:29
11. Matthew Riccitello (Israel - Premier Tech) – 44:39:56
12. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) – 44:40:08
13. William Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step) – 44:41:19
14. Sepp Kuss (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 44:41:35
15. Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) – 44:42:56
16. Harold López Granizo (XDS Astana Team) – 44:44:31
17. Louis Meintjes (Intermarché - Wanty) – 44:45:59
18. Javier Guardeño Roma (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) – 44:47:55
19. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) – 44:48:23
20. Archie Balderstone Roumens (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) – 44:48:54
21. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates XRG) – 44:52:29
22. Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) – 44:52:46
23. Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team) – 44:58:16
24. Ben Tulett (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 44:59:23
25. Ben O’Connor (Team Jayco AlUla) – 44:59:30

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