MAGIC MERLIER

The former Belgian National Champion wins for the third time at the UAE Tour. De Kleijn and Mareczko round him up on the podium. Among the GC riders Pello Bilbao gains one seconds in an intermediate sprint.

Liwa, 19 February 2024 – The first big duel between the world-class sprinters at the UAE Tour went to Tim Merlier who, after winning two stages in the last edition, won the Burjeel Holdings Stage, which opened the sixth edition of the one and only UCI WorldTour race in the Middle East. In a chaotic final kilometre, Merlier took the lead in the sprint with 100 metres and didn’t left it until the finish line, resisting a comeback attempt by Arvid De Kleijn and Jakub Mareczko. Earlier the stage had been characterised by the breakaway of Mark Stewart and Marco Murgano, both of Team Corratec – Vini Fantini. The British rider took the Black Jersey thanks to the points won in the two intermediate sprints. In the second of the two intermediate sprints, with 24 km from the finish in Liwa, Pello Bilbao went for the third place, taking 1″ of advantage on the other rivals in the fight for the Red Jersey. Tomorrow the 12.1 km time trial starting and finishing in Al Hudayriyat Island will be the first test for the GC riders.

Safeer Ahmed, Group Chief Operations Officer at Burjeel Holdings, awarded Tim Merlier with the Red Jersey

Sheikh Hazza bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.E. Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, H.E. Brigadier Hamdan Al Mansouri, Director of the Al Dhafra Region Police Directorate, and H.E. Nasser Al Mansouri, Under-Secretary of the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region with today’s winner Tim Merlier

STAGE RESULTS
1 – Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), 141km in 3h09’55”, average speed 44.545 km/h
2 – Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling) s.t.
3 – Jakub Mareckzo (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
2 – Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling) at 4″
3 – Jakub Mareckzo (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini) at 6″

Ahmad Ali Darwish, Associate Director Cyber Security and Innovation, and Sheikh Hazza bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, awarded the White Jersey Loe Van Belle

THE OFFICIAL JERSEYS

The leader jerseys of the UAE Tour are provided by ALÉ

• Red Jersey, leader of the General Classification, sponsored by International Holding Company – Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
• Green Jersey, leader of the Points Classification – Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) – worn by Arvid De Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling Team)
• White Jersey, Best Young Rider, sponsored by Nakheel – Loe Van Belle (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
• Black Jersey, leader of the Intermediate Sprint Classification, sponsored by Bin Hamoodah Auto – Mark Stewart (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini)

Fakher Abed, Natural Director of Natural sector, and Sheikh Hazza bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, awarded the Black Jersey Mark Stewart

PRESS CONFERENCE
Speaking in the press conference, the stage winner and Red Jersey Tim Merlier said: “Bert [Van Lerberghe] brought me once again in a good position. With 1km to go, I found the wheel of Jordi [Warlop] then I found my own space and went my own way. I went a bit too early in the wind but I had to because Gaviria and Molano went from far out. I made a mistake in choosing the gear but the finish was far enough to come back. It’s nice to win at the UAE Tour again. Almost all the world’s top sprinters are here, except for Jasper Philipsen and Caleb Ewan, so I’m happy with this win. I can be happy also with this third victory of the season already. Last year I rode the team time trial with the race leader’s jersey and I suffered a lot. Tomorrow in an individual time trial I’ll be able to ride my own pace and I will lose the jersey again. On the other hand, I hope to win the points classification again and that would come with another stage win, which is my next target. Racing in the sand like here is not my speciality in cyclo-cross but here the sand is soft so I’m fine with it. The heat affects me more. I prefer to race with lower temperatures but with the victory, I’m happy anyway”.

The White Jersey Loe Van Belle said: “I heard on the radio that with two riders away, there was still one second of time bonus left at one intermediate sprint so I grabbed my chance when I saw that nobody was going for it. It’s very nice to wear the white jersey in a WorldTour race. It’s my first season in the WorldTour so it feels great to race here with all the big names”.

The Black Jersey Mark Stewart said: “It felt from the start that the wind helped us. It was a fast day! We were two at the front because if we have seven riders per team here, so instead of facing the whole stage alone at the front, the difference between having one rider or two riders in the breakaway is massive, so it was for making our life a bit easier. I think I will defend the Black Jersey. I came to this race with respect. This is a sprinters’ race but that’s not to say that we can’t try. If we don’t win a stage, the consolation price is definitely the intermediate sprint jersey”.

STATISTICS

• Tim Merlier recorded his 3rd stage win at the UAE Tour, joining Sam Bennett and Caleb Ewan. Only Tadej Pogacar won more stages (4).
• This was the 5th Belgian stage win at the UAE Tour, joining Slovenia as the most successful country of the race.
• Tim Merlier won the first stage like last year: these are the only stages in which he wore the leader jersey at the UAE Tour. Last year the leader after the 2nd stage was Lucas Plapp.

TOMORROW’S STAGE – STAGE 2, AL HUDAYRIYAT ISLAND ITT, 12.1 KM – PRESIGHT STAGE

The route

Stage 2 is an individual Time Trial that takes place entirely inside Al Hudayriyat Island. The route is very fast and is characterized only by a few right angle bends and two U-turns. The road is perfectly flat, wide and with wide-ranging turns, which will allow riders to hold very high speeds (wind permitting).

Final kilometres

Wide curves, wide road, excellent pavement. The finish line is on asphalt.

To find out more about the UAE Tour, including details of the official race route, jerseys and sponsors, visit www.theuaetour.com

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