Roglic emerges winner in UAE Tour
DUBAI — Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic of Team Jumbo - Visma emerged winner of the inaugural edition of the UAE Tour, ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) and David Gaudu (Groupama - FDJ) who completed the podium.
Irish rider Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe) won the final Stage 7 — the Dubai Stage on Saturday, in a bunch sprint, beating Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal).
Speaking seconds after the stage finish, the UAE Tour winner Primoz Roglic said: “It was windy from the start but as a team we finished the job the same way we started. We showed again that we are a very strong team. It’s nice to have started with a Team Time Trial victory and kept the jersey till the end. As my first race of the year, it’s great to begin with a stage race victory. Results show that we’re ready for a promising season.
“I only started cycling in 2012, I was a ski jumper before. I didn’t feel it went quickly and easily, but it’s been hard for me to get to this level of performance. Before coming here, I was told it’s an easy and quite boring race but it was nothing like that this year.
“The TTT and Stage 4 to Hatta Dam made it a hard race overall in addition to the uphill finishes. It was full gas every day with wind and sand in the desert, so we’re happy to go home and take some rest. I’m even happier to leave Dubai with this victory in my bag with so many big names in contention. It’s been a huge pleasure to race this inaugural UAE Tour.”
The stage winner Sam Bennett said: “I needed that. The team did a fantastic job again. I tried to fight for Gaviria’s wheel. Today I had the legs to finish it off. I knew if you could get a win here with all the top sprinters, it means you are not so bad. This is good for my confidence. I’m looking forward to the other nice races coming up.”