Eddie Dunbar has kicked into life at La Vuelta, going on the attack for the second time during stage 12 as the riders raced to Los Corrales de Buelna (Photo: Rafa Gomez-Sprint Cycling Agency)

Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) may not have had much to show for his efforts at the end of yesterday’s stage 12 at La Vuelta, but after a very subdued first half of the event he has definitely sprung into life.

The Cork man spent most of yesterday’s 144km race to Los Corrales de Buelna up the road, getting across to the first group of breakaway men among 17 chasers, to create a massive leading group of about 35 riders.

Much later in the stage, Dunbar got caught out on the cat 1 climb not far from finish; initially being left behind by a number of strong attackers and then looking like he took on too much responsibility to chase them down.

Though he rode at the front of the second group on the road on that second mountain – the 7km Collada de Brenes averaging eight per cent gradient – he struggled to cope with the counter attacks close to the top.

Juan Ayuso takes his second win of La Vuelta 2025 after riding an impressive final of stage 12 to Los Corrales de Buelna (Photo: Rafa Gomez-Sprint Cycling Agency)

He eventually faded a little to finish in 15th place – in the group sprinting for 4th – some 18 seconds down on stage winner, Spain’s Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Ayuso took his second stage win of the race by beating compatriot Javier Romo (Movistar Team), in a two-up sprint.

The Spanish pair had got clear on the final climb. And though they built a gap close to one minute just after cresting the climb, some 23km from the finish, that was greatly reduced by the time they raced into the final kilometre.

Dunbar was up the road for 90km of the 144.5km stage; that ride coming just one day after he also attacked the stage into Bilbao, which was scrapped in the final due to very robust pro-Palestine protests.

And those two back-to-back performances, even though they secured no reward, suggest he is coming into his best form in that period deep into the race where he would be expected to excel.

Jonas Vingegaard looks like he is in control, though he will be tested by today’s summit finish, where the strength of the challenge to come form Tom Pidcock and João Almeida should become clear (Photo: Antonio Baixauli)

Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) struggled badly yesterday, finishing last man and over 18 minutes down. It was not clear if something happened to him, such as a crash, or if he might be ill.

Yesterday the general classification group finished just over six minutes down, with no major change at the top of the standings ahead of the feared Angliru summit finish on the 202.7km stage 13.

Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) still leads by 50 seconds from his main rival, João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG, with Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) in 3rd at 56 seconds.

Today will be an important day for the GC men, especially for Pidcock, who is trying to put together his first Grand Tour GC result. Pidcock has never climbed at the front of a Grand Tour in the GC group on a major mountain finish, though he has looked incredibly strong in recent days.

It’s a fabulous FIVE stages for UAE-Team Emirates at La Vuelta 🖐️

Juan Ayuso wins the sprint for the line against Javier Romo! pic.twitter.com/waFOr1xvt1

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) September 4, 2025