Pogacar wins UAE Tour after Ewan grabs Final Sprint

Slovenia's Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar won cycling's season-opening UAE Tour after Australian Caleb Ewan claimed Saturday's seventh stage sprinting honours in Abu Dhabi

Pogacar wins UAE Tour after Ewan grabs Final Sprint

Slovenia's Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar won cycling's season-opening UAE Tour as Australian Caleb Ewan claimed Saturday's seventh stage sprinting honours in Abu Dhabi.

The 22-year-old Pogacar dominated the race to turn the tables on Briton Adam Yates, who had edged the Slovenian in last year's coronavirus-curtailed edition of the World Tour event.

Pogacar took command of the general classification in Monday's time-trial, then won Tuesday's summit finish stage and carefully managed his lead in Thursday's second summit finish.

"This is really big," said Pogacar who gave his UAE state-sponsored team a second success in their home race, four years after it was won by Portugal's Rui Costa.

"It was my first goal of the season and my first home race, so it was really important and I'm super happy... this is one of our best achievements."

In the closing stage, Team Ineos' Yates fell 40 kilometres from the line, but climbed back on his bike to re-join the peloton.

Up front, Lotto rider Ewan pounced and passed Sam Bennett in the shadow of the finish to deny the Irishman a third stage win this week.

"We came here to win a stage and there was only one more left to take," said Ewan, who had claimed his first win of the season.

"It was a bit of a relief when I crossed the line. I haven't been this far into the year without a win in my whole career."

VIDEO: 2021 UAE Tour Stage 7 Highlights

2021 UAE Tour Stage 7 Top 10

1. Caleb Ewan (Aus) Lotto-Soudal, in 3-18-29
2. Sam Bennett (Ire) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
5. Cees Bol (Ned) DSM
6. André Greipel (Ger) Israel Start-Up Nation
7. Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R Citroën
8. Luka Mezgec (Slo) BikeExchange
9. Riccardo Minali (Ita) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
10. Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana – Premier Tech, all at same time

2021 UAE Tour Final General Classification

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates, in 24-00-28
2. Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 35 seconds
3. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 1-02
4. Chris Harper (Aus) Jumbo-Visma, at 1-42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo, at 1-45
6. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Den) Trek-Segafredo, at 2-37
7. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, at 2-39
8. Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 3-53
9. Rubén Fernández (Esp) Cofidis, at 4-13
10. Fausto Masnada (Ita) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 6-30

 
Tag: uaetour
 
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