Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) failed to repeat his 2024 victory over Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) in the opening Tirreno-Adriatico time trial along the Versilia seafront in Tuscany but the young Spaniard nonetheless won his personal battle with his rival overall contenders, gaining significant seconds on a swathe of big-name riders.
Ayuso was two seconds faster than Ganna at the intermediate point after five kilometres of the 11.5km out-and-back course but then seemed to tie up and lose speed in the closing moments of the stage. He set a time of 12:40 but then Ganna blasted to the finish to clock an unbeatable 12:17.
