UAE Team Emirates-XRG made a dramatic climb up the standings after winning the Stage 5 team time trial at the Vuelta a Espana.
Team Visma's Jonas Vingegaard reclaimed the overall lead as UAE Team Emirates riders Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida rose to second and third in the overall standings.
As the 21-day race arrived in Spain after four stages in Italy and France, the leader board was reshuffled with the three race favourites moving to the top of the deck.
The UAE outfit won the 24.1km stage around Figueres in 25 minutes and 26 seconds, with Vingegard's Visma just eight seconds off the pace and Giulio Ciccone's Lidl-Trek a further second slower in third on the day.
The result leaves two-time Tour de France winner Vingegaard top of the overall standings, while UAE have Ayuso, Almeida and Marc Soler all eight seconds behind, with Italian climber Ciccone rounding out the top five.
UAE Team Emirates produced a blistering effort that moved the team to 74 wins for the 2025 campaign.
Led down the start by Ayuso, the white jersey holder, the UAE squad quickly fell into formation and began chipping away at the best time, which had previously been set by Lidl-Trek.
At the first intermediate time check, the team were level on time with Ineos Grenadiers at the head of the standings, thanks in large part to the efforts of Domen Novak.
The UAE contingent had fallen to four seconds behind the time of Lidl-Trek.
At this point, Jay Vine delivered a searing turn of pace at the head of the ranks, pulling the squad much closer to the time of the American team. From there on, UAE Team Emirates were relentless in their pursuit of victory.
Into the final kilometre, Almeida, Ayuso and Soler remained on track, with Mikkel Bjerg tasked with leading the charge down the finishing straight. As the Dane delivered at the front, Soler held on to the back of the group.
The four riders crossed the line in Figueres together, toppling Lidl-Trek from the day’s hot seat.
Heading into the second uphill finish of the Vuelta on Thursday, Ayuso, Almeida and Soler all sit just eight seconds off the race lead of Vingegaard. Ayuso, 22, also strengthened his grip on the white jersey as the leader of the young rider’s classification.
Speaking after the win, Almeida and Ayuso reflected on a job well done.
“We knew we would be fighting for the win, but there are a lot of good teams here, and we need to be realistic. I think we did a really perfect job and we deserve it as well,” Almeida said.
“I think for the team atmosphere, to get even better, it’s good. It gives us confidence as well, but of course, the gaps are small and it doesn’t mean everything. But it’s a good start.
“We had a plan, we did it perfectly, the team was super strong. We had some surprises in a good way, so it was an amazing team effort and congratulations to everybody.”
Ayuso too was proud of the effort.
“It’s my first victory in a team time trial, and to do it together, everybody has their own medal, it is super special. Especially the way we did it. We did two recons of the course because on the first time we did the recon, we were not happy. We committed to do it again and everybody was super optimistic today. It is a win we deserve,” he said.
“We organised in these positions in Italy when we practised it. Then here, when we did our first recon, we were not happy. We did it again and fixed our little mistakes. That is why, at the end, when the work comes out and you manage to win, it is something really special.
“As I said from day one, the Vuelta starts tomorrow [on Stage 6]. But it’s super nice to arrive when the Vuelta ‘starts’ with a win, and with a team win. We take this with us, and tomorrow we will see where we are.”
