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Follow us on GoogleJuan Ayuso won the Faun Drome Classic with an impressive performance. The Spaniard from UAE Team Emirates-XRG has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent months, including his withdrawal from the Tour, not being selected for the Vuelta, and transfer issues. On Saturday, he missed out on victory in the Faun-Ardèche Classic by riding the wrong way. He shook off all his frustrations a day later by staying ahead of the rest with an impressive solo.
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The Faun Drome Classic was part two of a French diptych following the Faun-Ardèche Classic on Saturday. Romain Grégoire won that one after a remarkable final kilometer. Winning twice in one weekend? The young Frenchman from Groupama-FDJ still had to complete a grueling 190-kilometer course successfully.
As always in French one-day races, the battle for the leading group was fierce. With a few short climbs in the opening hour, half the peloton wanted to be included, but eight were actually given free rein. Sjoerd Bax and teammates Xabier Mikel Azparren and Walter Calzoni were among them. That meant Q36.5 had three men in the lead. After fifty kilometers, they had a three-minute lead.
Read more below the photo.
Sjoerd Bax
Skjelmose launches attack Ayuso
With Israel-Premier Tech and Tudor controlling the peloton, we crossed the finish line for the first time with 144 kilometers to go, and for a long time, things remained unchanged. The leading group even increased the lead to 4.30 minutes. Bax and Calzoni were leading for Q36.5, with Baptiste Poulard (Arkéa), Matisse Julien (CIC-U-Nantes), Jonas Gregaard (Lotto), and Kenny Molly (Van Rysel Roubaix) also upfront.
So we headed for the final, where Lidl-Trek took the lead for Skjelmose. At this point, the peloton, including Marco Brenner (Tudor) and Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), suffered a massive crash. There was no time to wait because Skjelmose began the climb 41 kilometers from the finish, heading for the foot of the Col de la Grande Limite.
The Dane probably had some group selection in mind, but he countered a UAE Team Emirates attack led by Ayuso. When Skjelmose was caught, the Spaniard accelerated incredibly fast, and no one reacted. Skjelmose could not stay with him and went back toward the Côte des Roberts, but with 30 kilometers to go, he was already half a minute behind.
Ayuso beats Skjelmose, Tulett third
On the Côte des Roberts, Ayuso strengthened his lead on Skjelmose, which was chased by Christian Scaroni (Astana) and Ben Healy (EF) duo. There were also attacks from the peloton, but Ayuso had already built up a lead of more than a minute on them. In other words, they were too late. With 10 kilometers to go, Skjelmose came up to within 22 seconds, but Ayuso held him off and with him the rest of the peloton.
The finish line was at the top of the Côte Chaude, and the Spanish leader of UAE completed the masterpiece in style. Skjelmose crossed the finish line 23 seconds later. In the peloton, Ben Tulett, on behalf of Visma | Lease a Bike, pushed to third place ahead of Marc Hirschi (Tudor) and Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek).
Results Faun Drome Classic 2025
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026
