Ayuso put in a bizarre effort because of Visma | Lease a Bike, but above all he has to thank the selfless Vine

Ayuso lost almost twelve minutes in Andorra on Thursday after having to let go very early on the final climb. “My plan wasn't to go for the GC, but the team asked me to give it my all out of respect, so I tried. But I'm not feeling great, so I just went with the flow,” he said. “People always expect me to go for the GC, like I normally do, but it's not like the Giro this time. I just let it go.”

Ayuso was able to put the energy he saved on Thursday to good use in Friday's early breakaway. He was the first to ride away, rode alone for a long time, and eventually was joined by twelve fellow breakaway riders, including Vine. The Australian won Thursday's stage, took the mountain jersey, and also picked up the necessary points along the way in stage 7. He then rode for Ayuso, whom he delivered to the foot of the climb with a comfortable lead of about four minutes.

“Yes, I think we saw the real Juan Ayuso today,” said the winner. “It's one of my best victories, because of how difficult it was. The peloton, especially Visma, didn't want to let me get away, so I had to ride the first hour of the race alone. I knew I had to go for it, because if I tried to break away, they would never let me go,” he said. “I suffered a lot in the first hour. I knew I had to get over the Puerto del Canto ahead of the others to be in the breakaway. In the end, Jay [Vine] did a very good job, and I was able to finish it off.”

It took a lot of energy, but Ayuso's plan to keep going worked. “I had a tough time in the first hour. I knew I had to get over the Puerto del Canto before the others to stay in the lead group. In the end, Jay did really well and I was able to finish it off.” That was also Vine's analysis: “The team wanted me to stay with them to help win the stage, although at times I felt that I could still be a satellite rider for Almeida.”

It didn't come to that because Ayuso had miracle legs, and so we saw him return like a phoenix, rising from the ashes. He crossed the finish line as the winner, with his fingers in his ears - nobody can touch me. “It’s amazing. After winning my first Grand Tour stage at the Giro, to win a stage here in La Vuelta, which for me is my favourite race, and especially the way I won it today, I think it’s something I will always remember and I’m super proud.”

And so the UAE train continues to thunder on. "Winning three stages in a row with the team is super nice, first with the team time trial, a victory for everyone in equal parts. Then Jay did an amazing stage yesterday, winning in front of his wife and his child, so that was special. And today, me… We don’t have a sprinter, so I don’t think we can win tomorrow, but we hope to carry on like this," Ayuso concluded.

In the mixed zone after the race, Vine dismissed the assumption that there had been any discussion between him and Ayuso about who would win the stage. “I was with them all day yesterday and had already wasted a lot of energy in my attempt to catch up with the leading group. Juan was alone on the first climb, so I had to keep things going and never felt like I had the legs to win the stage,” said the mountain king of this Vuelta, speaking with complete honesty.

Because, as Vine reasoned, if he hadn't sacrificed himself for his teammate, the stage victory might not have been possible. "I'd rather go for a stage victory for Juan than keep playing games and maybe start that final climb with a minute and a half, which would have left you caught by the GC riders. My job was to keep the lead as big as possible, and then it was up to him."