UAE Team Emirates rider Juan Ayuso with his swollen eye after being stung by a bee. Photo: @Pelamity / X
UAE Team Emirates rider Juan Ayuso with his swollen eye after being stung by a bee. Photo: @Pelamity / X
UAE Team Emirates rider Juan Ayuso with his swollen eye after being stung by a bee. Photo: @Pelamity / X
UAE Team Emirates rider Juan Ayuso with his swollen eye after being stung by a bee. Photo: @Pelamity / X

UAE Team Emirates star Juan Ayuso stung in eye by bee, forcing him to quit Giro d'Italia


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UAE Team Emirates star Juan Ayuso has been forced to quit the Giro d'Italia after being stung in the eye by a bee.

Ayuso, who saw his bid for overall glory fall away in recent days, endured more rotten luck on Thursday when the bee crawled inside his glasses and stung him in the eye.

Ayuso's face quickly swelled up leaving him unable to see out of his right eye.

“Obviously this is not how I wanted my Giro to end but some things are out of my control,” said Ayuso.

“I wish the guys all the best and hope [teammate] Isaac [Del Toro] can keep pink all the way to Rome.”

Despite advice from the UAE Team Emirates doctors to sit out Thursday's Stage 18, he attempted to ride before being forced to retire on the side of the road.

“It's going to go viral but a bee went inside my helmet and I can't see in my right eye,” said Ayuso ahead of his aborted attempt to tackle the 144km route from Morbegno to Cesano Maderno.

“I don't want people to make captions of it, because I know it is going to go viral, but it is what it is.

“And I will try to, you know … the team doctor said it's best for me not to start, but I really want to try and give my best to be here for the team.

“Yesterday, I was not useful at all because I am feeling really bad. But you know, I hope I can recover for the next days. I am going to try and get past today.”

Ayuso had started the Giro with high hopes of overall victory in General Classification as he led the UAE Team Emirates challenge in the absence of star rider Tadej Pogacar.

The Spaniard, 22, was widely regarded as one of the leading contenders in what was his debut in the three-week Grand Tour race which finishes in Rome on Sunday.

That challenge has failed to materialise, however, with him suffering on the Giro's punishing climbs. He enjoyed victory on Stage 7 but suffered a knee injury two days later and has struggled ever since.

On Wednesday's Stage 17, he limped across the line in 141st place, more than 30 minutes behind, as teammate Isaac Del Toro soared to stage victory and solidified his grip on the maglia rosa.

Nico Denz then claimed an impressive victory on Thursday but Del Toro retained the pink jersey.

Denz, of Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe, was part of an 11-rider breakaway before seizing control with 11km remaining.

With just three stages to go Del Toro has a 41-second lead over Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost.

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What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

Updated: October 16, 2025, 12:22 PM