IT’S AUSSIE RULES

Ben O’Connor wins the Ras Al Khaimah Stage ahead of the new Red Jersey Jay Vine. Adam Yates abandons the race after a crash 

Jebel Jais, 21 February 2024 – The first uphill finish of the UAE Tour redefines the general classification of the sixth edition of the one and only UCI WorldTour race in the Middle East. Thanks to a superb lead out by his team-mate Valentin Paret-Paintre, it was Ben O’Connor who imposed himself atop of the 1489 metres of Jebel Jais, anticipating by 5″ the comeback of the group in which almost all the main GC riders were included. The Red Jersey has a new owner but remains in the same team (UAE Team Emirates) as Jay Vine, second at the finish, is now the new leader of the general classification. The pace that followed the attack by the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team duo was too hard for Brandon McNulty who was dropped in the final 300 meters. The winner of yesterday’s time trial reached the finish line 14″ after Ben O’Connor and now he sits in 3rd place 13″ behind Vine. Adam Yates, who crashed in the first half of the stage, was forced to abandon the race with just over 10km to go.

Today’s winner Ben O’Connor was awarded by H.E. Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, H.E. Engineer Abdullah Alabdooli, Chief Executive Officer at Marjan, Mr. Nayef Abdulaziz Jakka, Assistant Secretary General UAE Cycling Federation, and H.E. Jumail Alareefi, Executive Director of events at Abu Dhabi Sports Council

STAGE RESULTS
1 – Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), 176km in 4h16’21”, av. speed 40.960 km/h
2 – Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) at 5″
3 – Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates)
2 – Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) at 11″
3 – Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) at 13″

Ahmad Alsaada, from EasyLease and representing International Holding Company, with the Red Jersey Jay Vine

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 – Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates)
• Green Jersey, leader of the Points Classification – Mark Stewart (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini)
• White Jersey, Best Young Rider, sponsored by Nakheel – Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step)
• Black Jersey, leader of the Intermediate Sprint Classification, sponsored by Bin Hamoodah Auto – Mark Stewart (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini) – worn by Marco Murgano (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini)

Mr. Khaled al Shehi, Chief Procurement & Projects Officer from Nakheel, awarded the White Jersey Ilan Van Wilder

PRESS CONFERENCE

Speaking in the press conference, the stage winner Ben O’Connor said: “I asked Valentin Paret-Peintre] to just go full gas. I didn’t really thought about what we were doing. I didn’t want to go for the sprint. I had to go earlier. We got a gap and I had to hold on. My preparation for the season has been great. I won my first race in Murcia with echelons and we were three in the front group. Today was the first mountain test and it couldn’t go any better. To come here for racing is really really good. It’s nice to race for a sprinter [Sam Bennett] as well. We all get along here. It’s a WorldTour win and that’s where we’ve set the bar. I wanted to win a big stage”.

The new Red Jersey Jay Vine said: “My sights are always on winning. A surge came, I looked for Brandon, he started turning back and I heard on the radio “Jay you’ve got topull”. I carried to the front and I kept going flat out. The plan was for the team to take the red jersey home at the end of the week. We did pretty well to come away with me in the red jersey at the end of the day. Mikkel Bjerg rode a fantastic race keeping Brandon and myself at the front. In the last kilometre it was just giving everything till the finish. Adam Yates’ crash was a bit of a weird one, not on a pretty stressful part. I didn’t see it happen. But unfortunately he can’t remember hitting the ground. Hopefully he’s OK. The plan now is to retain the red jersey till the end with a rider from UAE Team Emirates it doesn’t matter who, but I’m sure there are hundred guys out there who have a different idea. It’s incredible that at my first race of the year I’m wearing a WorldTour leader jersey”.

The White Jersey Ilan Van Wilder said: “I’m satisfied to move two spots up on GC to fourth now. It was a nice actually. I was up front in the echelons thanks to my team-mates also. I tried to go for the victory but I exploded a bit when I tried to go in the wheel of Jay Vine. I’d like to make the final podium but even on the flat stages I’ll have to stay very attentive”.

The Green Jersey and Black Jersey holder Mark Stewart said: “It’s pretty special to get the green jersey after three stages. I knew it was possible but it’s not often that things actually go your way. There were a few guys interested in the green jersey competition and I wasn’t sure if they’d let me get in the breakaway. The initial breakaway was quite easy with myself and Silvan Dillier. I picked up the first points then the crosswinds happened. I had to stay in the front group and fight hard for the second intermediate sprint. For a small team and even a small rider like myself, to be presented with the Green Jersey and be able to compete with these top riders, it’s a great honour”.

The Black Jersey Mark Stewart with Mr. Nidal Alashkar, Events in Charge at Bin Hamoodah Auto

STATISTICS

• Ben O’Connor posted his 2nd win of the season after Vuelta a Murcia, 11 days ago. It’s his 9th Pro win, the first at the UAE Tour.
• Jay Vine is leading a professional stage race for the second time in his career: last year he led 3 stages and eventually won the Tour Down Under.
• Lennert Van Eetvelt (22 years and 7 months) is the youngest rider with a top-3 mountain finish at the UAE Tour since Tadej Pogacar in 2021 (22 years and 5 months).

TOMORROW’S STAGE – STAGE 4, DUBAI POLICE OFFICER’S CLUB-DUBAI HARBOUR, 175 KM – DUBAI STAGE

The route

A stage in Dubai. The first part is in Downtown Dubai, passing around the Burj Khalifa before crossing Deira and skimming past the Big Flag. The race will head out of the city in the direction of the desert, passing the classic sites of these stages such as Al Qudra Cycletrack and Jumeirah islands. It then pass by Palm Jumeirah to finish in Dubai Harbour. The entire route winds along very wide, and substantially straight, roads interspersed with roundabouts that have a very large radius and are well paved.

Final kilometres

The ending is on a wide avenue, with the approach to the finish line 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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