©UAE Tour

UAE Tour: Pogacar without a rival

The double reigning champion of the Tour de France did not miss his first target of the season. Following his victory in 2021, the Slovenian has put his name at the top of the list for the event for the second consecutive time. Even though he already had the leader’s jersey on his shoulders before the last stage, Pogacar wanted to mark his territory: “I’m super happy to win a victory at Jebel Hafeet for the third time. It suits me well. Winning the UAE Tour was a very big goal for the team. I am super proud and very happy.”

The winner of two stages, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) won the green jersey in the points classification.

The results: 1. Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), 2. Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers), 3. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious)

Stages won by: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vynil Team), Stefan Bessigger (EF Education-Easypost), Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), Mathias Vacek (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Tajed Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates).

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Tour du Rwanda : Tesfatsion held firm

Eritrean rider Natnaël Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) won the Tour of Rwanda on Sunday, repeating his 2020 performance. He took the overall leader’s jersey at the end of the 6th stage on Friday and managed to keep it as his property until the end: “I had already won two years ago thanks to a breakaway,” declared Natnaël Tesfatsion, “This time, I had to be more calculating. It was very strategic against very strong opponents like Budiak and Ewart. But I felt good all week.”

Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies) was on the podium three times during the event (two wins and a third place).

The results: 1. Natnaël Tesfatsion (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), 2. Anatoliy Budiak (Terengganu Polygon Cycling), 3. Jesse Ewart (Bike Aid)…

Stages won by: Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), Sandy Dujardin (TotalEnergies), Jhonatan Restropo (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), Kent Main (ProTouch), Alexandre Geniez (TotalEnergies), Anatoli Budiar (Terengganu-Polygon Cycling), Alan Boileau (B&B Hotels-KTM), Moise Mugisha (ProTouch).  

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Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite: Van Aert already finds his legs

The Belgian champion won the first Belgian classic on Saturday. At the end of a perfectly managed race, Wout Van Aert focused his effort on the van Geraardsbergen wall to win alone ahead of the European champion Colbrelli who overtook Van Avermaet in the sprint. “I didn’t expect to be so strong so soon,” commented the winner of the day.

The results: Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious), 3. Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën)…

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Faun-Ardèche Classic: NcNulty goes solo

At the end of a lively race from start to finish, it was the American Brandon McNulty who won alone on Saturday in the streets of Guilherand-Granges. The rider of the UAE Emirates Team, sixth in the road race at the Beijing Olympics in 2021, achieved a real success by flying up the ascent of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps, ahead of Mauri Vansevenant and Sepp Kuss. “There was an excellent field even if not everyone was in top form. But it’s a very satisfying victory for me,” commented the 23-year-old winner.

The results: 1. Brandon McNulty (UAE Emirates Team), 2. Mauri Vansevenant (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl), 3. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)…

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Faun-Drôme Classic : Vingegaard resists the French chase

A good weekend for the Dutch team Jumbo-Visma. The day after Van Aert’s victory over the Het Nieuwsblad, his teammate Vingegaard raised his arms in victory at the Faun-Drôme Classic on Sunday. Jonas Vingegaard, second in the Tour de France 2021, managed to stave off the comeback in the final of the Frenchmen Martin and Cosnefroy: “This race had a particular importance because it is good to have a strong start to the season,” declared the Dane. “These are complicated roads. Not really uphill but it’s still a toboggan ride. I like this kind of route just as much as the big climbs.” The double world champion Alaphilippe took 5th place.

The results: 1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), 2. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), 3. Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R Citroën Team)…

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Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne: Insatiable Jakobsen

Not content with having taken the green jerseys at the Volta a la Communitat Valenciana and the Volta Algarve, Fabio Jakobsen ended the month of February with another success on Sunday. The Dutch sprinter once again demonstrated his current form by beating Ewan and Hofstetter. “It’s already my fifth victory of the season, it’s not too bad for a sprinter. It was getting tight with the breakaway, but I knew I had to stay calm, patient and just sprint. I’m in a special period for me, I had a good winter and when you’re in good shape you have to take advantage of it,” said Jakobsen after his victory.

The results: 1. Fabio Jakobsen (Quick Step-Vinyl Team), 2. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), 3. Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa Samsic)… 

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Races to come:

Le Samyn 1/03 www.lesamyn.be

Strade Bianche 6/03 www.strade-bianche.it

Paris-Nice 6-13/03 https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/