photo credits @ UAE
Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) claimed the opening stage of this year’s UAE Tour today, repeating the same victory he took during last year’s edition, beating Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling) and Jakub Mareczko (Corratec-Vini Fantini) in a chaotic sprint finale to seize the stage honors.
The Belgian rider opted not to follow his own lead-out man, instead deciding to bide his time until the closing 75 meters when he opened up his sprint.
“I made the decision to go on the other side with 500m to go, and I made a good decision there to go alone,” Merlier said of his decision to abandon his lead-out.
“At first I was a bit blocked, a bit too early in the wind, but Gaviria and Molano went from far. I made a bit of a mistake with the gears, but when I was on my speed I was coming back and the finish line was just far enough.”
De Kleijn and Mareczko nipped out to take the podium spots, finishing ahead of a host of big names, in what is a stacked sprinting field. Many of them, however, will feel they didn’t have the chance to sprint, with Fabio Jakobsen (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) and Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) both moving past Molano and Gaviria but unable to really strike out.
Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease A Bike) didn’t really open the taps, while Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) trailed home behind that bunch having just about avoided the crash.
“There is big competition here for the sprints, almost everyone is here,” said Merlier, who pulls on the first red jersey as the overall leader of the race. “I’m happy to have the first one, so the next days are a bit more relaxed.”
From the outset, the race was marked by aggressive tactics, with Mark Stewart and Marco Murgano leading an early breakaway that hinted at the day’s strategic complexity. Crosswinds added another layer of challenge, testing the peloton’s resilience and adaptability. As the race progressed, the sprint teams, recognizing the impending battle, took control, reeling in the breakaway and positioning their sprinters for the tumultuous finale. Amid this calculated chaos, Merlier’s triumph was not just a feat of speed but of astute strategy and unyielding determination.
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