Jebel Hafeet (Abu Dhabi), February 26 : Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) has won the 2023 UAE Tour, wearing the Red Jersey and taking his victory ahead of Lucas Plapp (Ineos Grenaders) and Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates).
Yates meanwhile, produced a faultless climbing display to triumph on the International Holding Company Stage (Stage 7), which took the riders 153km from the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain to the summit of Jebel Hafeet. The British rider crossed the line 10 seconds ahead of Evenepoel, with Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroen Team) 32 seconds further adrift in third.
PROVISIONAL STAGE RESULT
1 – Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), 170km in 3h29’42”, average speed 43.776km/h
2 – Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) at 10″
3 – Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroen Team) at 42″
PROVISIONAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
2 – Lucas Plapp (Ineos Grenaders) at 59″
3 – Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) at 1’00”
OFFICIAL JERSEYS
Red Jersey, General Classification. Sponsor: International Holding Company
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
Green Jersey, Points Classification. Sponsor: BeIT – Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step)
White Jersey, Young Rider Classification. Sponsor: Nakheel – Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
Black Jersey, Intermediate Sprint Classification. Sponsor: Experience Abu Dhabi – Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Speaking seconds after the finish, the winner of the 2023 UAE Tour, Remco Evenepoel, said: “It was hard out there. I thought Yates was going to stay on my wheel and then jump in the last few hundred metres, and I would have been happy with that, but in the end I had to go over the limit to keep up with him. I was happy I could always see him in front of me, so I knew the overall victory was mine. I am really happy with this overall victory – I was there every day and on the two mountain stages I finished in second place. As a team we can be very proud. We’re going home with three stage wins and the Red Jersey – and this is my first race victory as the world champion.”
Stage winner Adam Yates said: “I want to say a big thank you to my team. They believed and trusted in me, and this victory is for them. Our plan was to go full gas at the foot of Jebel Hafeet because we had nothing to lose as I was so far down on GC after the crosswind stages. My teammates did an amazing job and when I attacked early, I knew I had to try and drop everyone else, and thankfully, I managed to do that. I’m really happy to win.”