Tadej Pogačar seals UAE Tour victory atop Jebel Hafeet

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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.