Juan Ayuso (C) and Primoz Roglic (R) cross the finish line in first and second place respectively at the end of stage three

Barcelona (AFP) - Home favourite Juan Ayuso snatched victory on stage three of the Tour of Catalonia fractionally ahead of 2023 winner Primoz Roglic and climbed to the top of the general classification on Wednesday.

The UAE Team Emirates rider passed Roglic in the final metres and the Slovenian could not battle his way back in front as they sprinted across the line in a photo finish.

Barcelona-born Ayuso triumphed after a gruelling 218-kilometre ride from Viladecans through snow-capped hills to a mountain finish at La Molina.

Roglic is second overall, trailing Tirreno-Adriatico winner Ayuso by six seconds, with another Spaniard, Mikel Landa third, 11 seconds off the top.

Ayuso and 35-year-old veteran Roglic, a four-time Vuelta a Espana winner, are the leading contenders for the overall classification with reigning champion Tadej Pogacar not competing.

”(Winning overall) is the main goal, but here it’s very important to win stages bcause they also come with bonus seconds and many years this race has been decided by less than 10 seconds,” Ayuso told Teledeporte.

The 22-year-old secured 10 bonus seconds after crossing the line in just over five hours 49 minutes, while Roglic took six and Soudal–Quick-Step’s Landa four.

Thursday’s stage four is another mountainous run, taking riders 188.7 kilometres from Sant Vicenc de Castellet to Montserrat.

The seven-day race ends Sunday in Barcelona with the ascent of Montjuic to the Olympic stadium, where La Liga leaders Barcelona currently play home games.