UAE Tour 2022 – Stage 7 [LAST 10 KM]

February 26, 2022

UAE Tour 2022 – Stage 7 – Al Ain – Jebel Hafeet : 148 km

The men’s WorldTour season will finally get underway this Sunday with the 4th edition of the UAE Tour – a seven-day stage race born from the ashes of former races like the Abu Dhabi Tour and Dubai Tour. With a star-studded startlist, two summit finishes and one pivotal individual time trial, this year’s UAE Tour promises to be one of the most hotly-contested editions yet and an ideal testing ground for riders like Tadej Pogačar, Adam Yates and Aleksandr Vlasov to find their form ahead of this season’s Grand Tours. The question is, who will come out on top and crown themselves King of the Middle East? The UAE Tour may only be in its infancy but it has already managed to establish itself as one of the most well-rounded, week-long stage races on the calendar, with days for the sprinters, climbers and time trialists. It has also not taken long for several of the race’s most popular finishes, like the mountaintop finish on Jebel Hafeet, to become rather iconic. For a race that is ‘supposedly’ just a mix of super highways, bland mountain passes and expansive deserts, the UAE Tour routinely delivers a surprising amount of drama.

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) won the seventh and final stage of the UAE Tour at the top of Jebel Hafeet.

In a replay of last year, Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) threw everything at the Slovenian in the final five kilometres to the finish trying to take the stage and time back overall.

However, just as in 2021 it was Pogačar who had the final burst of speed over the top taking a narrow stage victory and sealing the overall honours.

Yates finished a valiant second while Pello Bilbao (Bahrain – Victorious) was third just a handful of seconds behind the leading pair.

It was Pogačar’s second stage win of this year’s UAE Tour after also winning the only other mountain summit up to Jebel Jais on stage four.

Pogačar won the race overall by 22 seconds ahead of Yates, while Bilbao finished third 48 seconds back.

“It’s really important, a really big goal for us as a team,” said Pogačar. “It’s the first race of the season but for us it’s one of the most important races so I’m super proud and happy.”

It was the third year that Pogačar won the stage at Jebel Hafeet, but he had to withstand a blistering attack by Yates inside the final kilometre.

“I was in the [overall] lead ahead of him so I didn’t need to attack, I just had to follow,” said Pogačar.

“We all know his attacks are one of the best in the world. At one moment I was really suffering but luckily Adam also slowed down a bit, so it went all perfect for me.

“I’m so happy to take the win here for the third time. I guess it suits me well, it’s a really hard climb but then in the end there’s a bit of tactical play always.”

How it unfolded
As in 2021, Yates had no reply to the Slovenian’s final sprint and had to settle for second while Bilba

The final stage of the UAE Tour saw riders compete over 148 kilometres culminating in the Jebel Hafeet climb.

Coming into the final stage, Pogačar held a four-second overall lead ahead of Filippo Ganna Ineos Grenadiers).

However, his challenge on the final climb was more always likely to come from Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA – Hansgrohe) who sat 14 seconds back overall and Adam Yates, who was a further three seconds behind.

Hot conditions of 31 degrees Celsius would make the decisive stage even more gruelling with only a light wind. The day’s seven-man breakaway consisting of Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Fenix), Clément Davy (Groupama – FDJ), Daryl Impey (Israel – Premier Tech), Michael Schwarzmann (Lotto Soudal), Michael Mørkøv (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange – Jayco) and Joris Nieuwenhuis (Team DSM).

At the 74-kilometre to go mark, halfway through the stage, the breakaway had an advantage of 2:25.

Mørkøv took the first intermediate sprint before Nieuwenhuis dropped back to the peloton leaving a six-man breakaway who increased their gap to 3:17 with 50 kilometres remaining.

As the bunch raced to the bottom of Jebel Hafeet the gap quickly tumbled to 2:09 with 20 kilometres remaining.

Impey took the final intermediate points as the breakaway’s advantage reduced to a minute with 12 kilometres remaining.

As the breakaway hit Jebel Hafeet, Vermeersch went clear as the remains of the breakaway went back to the bunch.

Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-EasyPost), who started the day ninth overall, suffered an unfortunate mechanical in the opening kilometres of the climb losing vital time.

After his heroic efforts on Jebel Jais earlier this week Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) was dropped with nine kilometres remaining on the steeper climb losing his second place overall as the peloton reduced in numbers.

Vermeersch eventually saw his solo effort from the breakaway ended with seven kilometres of the climb remaining.

Hitting the 9.5% gradient of the climb Rafał Majka (UAE Team Emirates) rode off the front forcing Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers) to drag the bunch across.

George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates) then kept the pace high as the leading group was reduced to 20 riders with five kilometres remaining.

UAE Team Emirates continued to dictate the pace and as Bennett made his last effort Majka was next to pressurise the leading group.

With four kilometres remaining Pogačar made a slight attack drawing Yates to reply before allowing Majka to continue the pace setting as only eight riders remained in the group.

Yates made his first attack with three kilometres remaining and on the steepest part of the climb, but was immediately followed by Pogačar.

After making the initial attack Yates and Pogačar started playing tactically allowing Pello Bilbao (Bahrain – Victorious) and João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) back to the leaders.

Portuguese rider Almeida went straight onto the attack as the road flattened but Yates soon closed the gap before allowing the UAE Team Emirates rider to set the pace.

Approaching the final kilometres, Yates launched a big attack forcing a grimace from Pogačar who held his wheel.

As the road levelled out briefly in the final kilometre, Pogačar took the front, winding up the pace and then launching his sprint on the last rise to the line.

Results :
1 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 3:20:24
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:01
3 Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Spa) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:05
4 João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:15
5 Lucas Plapp (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:16
6 Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Movistar Team
7 Rafal Majka (Pol) UAE Team Emirates
8 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:30
9 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:00:53
10 Chris Harper (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
11 David de la Cruz (Spa) Astana Qazaqstan Team
12 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM
13 Thymen Arensman (Ned) Team DSM 0:01:02
14 Damien Howson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:01:28
15 Jai Hindley (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:30
16 Gino Mäder (Swi) Bahrain Victorious
17 Matteo Badilatti (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
18 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost
19 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
20 George Bennett (NZl) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:58
21 Stefan De Bod (RSA) Astana Qazaqstan Team
22 Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Team DSM 0:02:21
23 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 0:02:24
24 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
25 Sebastian Berwick (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech 0:02:26
26 Samuele Zoccarato (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:02:53
27 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:02:55
28 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
29 Jan Hirt (Cze) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
30 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost
31 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
32 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Movistar Team
33 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
34 Albert Torres Barcelo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:12
35 Clément Berthet (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:03:38
36 William Barta (USA) Movistar Team 0:03:51
37 Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) EF Education-EasyPost 0:03:58
38 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team
39 Vadim Pronskiy (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team
40 Luca Covili (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
41 Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:04:01
42 Bob Jungels (Lux) AG2R Citroen Team 0:04:41
43 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
44 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain Victorious
45 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:05:40
46 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Alpecin-Fenix
47 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:06:20
48 Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost
49 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
50 Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team 0:06:29
51 Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Movistar Team 0:06:38
52 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
53 Simon Pellaud (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
54 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:07:00
55 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ
56 Stijn Steels (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:07:02
57 Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama-FDJ 0:07:16
58 Luca Rastelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:07:38
59 Stan Van Tricht (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
60 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
61 Stefan Bissegger (Swi) EF Education-EasyPost 0:07:41
62 Ethan Vernon (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:08:45
63 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team
64 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
65 Alejandro Osorio Carvajal (Col) Bahrain Victorious
66 Jos van Emden (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:08:58
67 Mathias Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team 0:09:03
68 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team DSM 0:09:09
69 Xandres Vervloesem (Bel) Lotto Soudal
70 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:09:13
71 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
72 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:09:30
73 Artyom Zakharov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team
74 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Alpecin-Fenix 0:09:37
75 Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:10:33
76 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:10:42
77 Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo 0:10:56
78 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ
79 Paul Lapeira (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:11:10
80 Robert Stannard (Aus) Alpecin-Fenix 0:11:26
81 Luka Mezgec (Slo) BikeExchange-Jayco
82 Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
83 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team
84 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech
85 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
86 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team
87 Johnatan Cañaveral Vargas (Col) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
88 Marc Brustenga (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:11:41
89 Daryl Impey (RSA) Israel-Premier Tech 0:13:25
90 Rick Zabel (Ger) Israel-Premier Tech
91 Filip Maciejuk (Pol) Bahrain Victorious
92 Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:13:29
93 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:13:44
94 Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates 0:16:03
95 Campbell Stewart (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco
96 Sam Bewley (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco
97 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel-Premier Tech
98 Jakob Egholm (Den) Trek-Segafredo
99 Taj Jones (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech
100 Niklas Märkl (Ger) Team DSM
101 Ryan Mullen (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
102 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe
103 Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
104 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Lotto Soudal
105 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
106 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost
107 Johan Price Pejtersen (Den) Bahrain Victorious
108 Julius Johansen (Den) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
109 Jonathan Milan (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 0:16:08
110 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates 0:18:27
111 Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
112 Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo
113 Mathias Vacek (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo
114 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers 0:18:29
115 Andrey Amador (CRc) Ineos Grenadiers
116 Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM
117 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama-FDJ
118 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirates
119 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers 0:20:02
120 Kaden Groves (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:22:22
121 Kelland O’Brien (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
122 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:23:00
DNS Sean Quinn (USA) EF Education-EasyPost
DNS Jarrad Drizners (Aus) Lotto Soudal
DNF Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) Team DSM

Final General Classification :
1 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 25:38:16
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:22
3 Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Spa) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:48
4 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:54
5 João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:55
6 Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:17
7 Rafal Majka (Pol) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:24
8 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:01:46
9 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM
10 David de la Cruz (Spa) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:01:58
11 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost 0:02:05
12 Lucas Plapp (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:02:11
13 Chris Harper (Aus) Jumbo-Visma 0:02:25
14 Jai Hindley (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:29
15 Gino Mäder (Swi) Bahrain Victorious 0:02:42
16 Thymen Arensman (Ned) Team DSM 0:02:47
17 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:02:50
18 Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Team DSM 0:03:20
19 Stefan De Bod (RSA) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:03:29
20 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:45
21 Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF Education-EasyPost 0:03:47
22 Sebastian Berwick (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech 0:03:56
23 Matteo Badilatti (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:03:58
24 Jan Hirt (Cze) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:04:03
25 Dario Cataldo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:04:23
26 Fausto Masnada (Ita) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:04:35
27 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:04:56
28 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:05:02
29 Damien Howson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:05:20
30 Samuele Zoccarato (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:05:43
31 Bob Jungels (Lux) AG2R Citroen Team 0:06:12
32 Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal 0:06:56
33 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:06:59
34 Vadim Pronskiy (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:07:43
35 Merhawi Kudus Ghebremedhin (Eri) EF Education-EasyPost 0:08:00
36 George Bennett (NZl) UAE Team Emirates 0:08:07
37 Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain Victorious 0:08:31
38 Luca Covili (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:08:39
39 Yuriy Natarov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:09:47
40 William Barta (USA) Movistar Team 0:09:56
41 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:10:03
42 Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:10:15
43 Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:11:19
44 Albert Torres Barcelo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:12:12
45 Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
46 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Alpecin-Fenix 0:12:17
47 Simon Pellaud (Swi) Trek-Segafredo 0:12:57
48 Stefan Bissegger (Swi) EF Education-EasyPost 0:13:19
49 Alejandro Osorio Carvajal (Col) Bahrain Victorious 0:14:48
50 Michael Kukrle (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:15:33
51 Miles Scotson (Aus) Groupama-FDJ 0:16:09
52 Clément Berthet (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:16:43
53 Daryl Impey (RSA) Israel-Premier Tech 0:16:57
54 Jos van Emden (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:17:01
55 Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Movistar Team 0:17:02
56 Timo Roosen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:17:49
57 Mathias Norsgaard (Den) Movistar Team 0:17:56
58 Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:18:06
59 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:18:09
60 Artyom Zakharov (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:18:23
61 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:18:39
62 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:18:59
63 Xandres Vervloesem (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:19:54
64 Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers 0:20:16
65 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan Team 0:20:22
66 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:20:28
67 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team DSM 0:22:11
68 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:23:37
69 Johnatan Cañaveral Vargas (Col) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:23:41
70 Paul Lapeira (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:23:45
71 Mathias Vacek (Cze) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:24:01
72 Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost 0:24:16
73 Robert Stannard (Aus) Alpecin-Fenix 0:24:23
74 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:25:03
75 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroen Team 0:25:16
76 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Groupama-FDJ 0:25:29
77 Filip Maciejuk (Pol) Bahrain Victorious 0:25:50
78 Stan Van Tricht (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:25:59
79 Scott Thwaites (GBr) Alpecin-Fenix 0:26:01
80 Stijn Steels (Bel) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:26:18
81 Luca Rastelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:26:32
82 Ethan Vernon (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:28:09
83 Rick Zabel (Ger) Israel-Premier Tech 0:28:21
84 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:28:29
85 Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team 0:28:51
86 Shane Archbold (NZl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:29:21
87 Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo 0:29:23
88 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team 0:29:29
89 Luka Mezgec (Slo) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:29:54
90 Niklas Märkl (Ger) Team DSM 0:30:55
91 Ryan Mullen (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:30:58
92 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Groupama-FDJ 0:31:49
93 Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 0:33:05
94 Andrey Amador (CRc) Ineos Grenadiers 0:33:26
95 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech 0:33:41
96 Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
97 Jonathan Milan (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 0:34:04
98 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:34:30
99 Marc Brustenga (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:34:34
100 Taj Jones (Aus) Israel-Premier Tech 0:34:38
101 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Ineos Grenadiers 0:34:51
102 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:35:35
103 Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers 0:36:49
104 Cees Bol (Ned) Team DSM 0:36:54
105 Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Groupama-FDJ 0:37:34
106 Julius Johansen (Den) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:37:35
107 Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:38:00
108 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:38:14
109 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost 0:38:25
110 Jakob Egholm (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:38:50
111 Campbell Stewart (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:38:53
112 Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:39:09
113 Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates 0:39:35
114 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel-Premier Tech 0:40:34
115 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirates 0:41:02
116 Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:41:08
117 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates 0:41:43
118 Kaden Groves (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:44:10
119 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:44:57
120 Johan Price Pejtersen (Den) Bahrain Victorious 0:46:41
121 Kelland O’Brien (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:46:42
122 Sam Bewley (NZl) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:46:50