Updated on 2021-04-29 16:39:52
Lotto Soudal rider Caleb Ewan won the final stage of the UAE Tour.
The 26-year-old Australian claimed his first victory of the season after a stage promised to the sprinters.
“We came to the UAE Tour to win a stage and it’s fantastic to achieve that goal after this last day.
My previous sprints weren't the best so I was under a bit of pressure today, ”begins Caleb Ewan.
This final stage of the UAE Tour was once again marked by the risk of breakages.
About 60 kilometers from the line, a large group including Caleb Ewan, Tosh Van der Sande and Jasper De Buyst broke away but the peloton quickly ended their attempt.
As expected, the victory was going to be played out in the sprint in Abu Dhabi.
In a hectic sprint, Lotto Soudal chose the right moment to launch Caleb Ewan. With powerful acceleration, Ewan won ahead of Bennett, second, and Bauhaus, 3rd.
“The team did everything to put me in the best possible position. So I was still fresh in the final and that's what it took to be able to win today, I think.
I didn’t try to follow Bennett’s wheel, we both relied on our teammates to make the best lead out possible.
Maybe Kluge started a little too late and we almost got locked up. So I left earlier than expected because I saw Bennett come up to the right.
Fortunately there was still enough room to fit me in because it was the only way out. I finally got to start my sprint in time to finish the job. "
This first victory of the season is a real relief for the Australian.
“I've never waited this long to get my first win of the season. It’s a relief to be able to enter the season in Europe with a first success on the clock.
I hope this is just the start of a very good year because I have big goals this season. So it was very important for me to pocket my first success here, ”concludes Caleb Ewan.