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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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
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Watch: beIN Sports HD
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