2024-02-26 00:00:00
Lennart van Ietveldt (Belgium, Lot Destiny) attacked with 2km remaining and won the final mountain, Jebel Hafeet, on the seventh day of the UAE Tour. 22-year-old Van Ietveldt took the overall victory, beating Ben O’Connor (Australia, Decathlon AG2R La Mondial) by just 2 seconds.
Jay Vine (Australia, UAE Team Emirates) heading into the final day as overall leader photo: UAE Tour
The seventh and final stage of the 6th UAE Tour is a 161km journey that starts from Al Ain, the second city of the UAE, and climbs Jebel Hafeet. The course leading to Jebel Hafeet, which has a climbing distance of 10.8km and an average of 6.6%, is a flat road that passes through urban areas and desert areas, so the final day of the competition was contested with a simple yet extreme layout unique to the Middle East.
Mark Stewart (UK, Colatec Vinifantini), wearing a black intermediate sprint jersey, was in a group of four who rode away for the fourth time in this tournament. Among them were German champion climbers Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Alpecin Deceuninck, who had a lead of up to eight minutes over the main group led by UAE Team Emirates.
Four people escaped, including Mark Stewart (UK, Corratec Vinifantini) who won the Intermediate Sprint Award photo: CorVos
Crosswind separation occurred twice on this day photo: CorVos
On the other hand, Proton’s group split twice on this day due to strong crosswinds. The first one happened with 73km remaining, and the second with 58km remaining, and although the general competitors such as Pello Bilbao (Spain, Bahrain Victorious) were also delayed, they were able to rendezvous with 35km remaining. With the exception of Jonas Ricard (Belgium, Alpecin Deceuninck), who was leading the pack, the three riders entered Jebel Hafeet with a lead of 1 minute and 15 seconds from the peloton.
UAE Team Emirates, who lost their biggest candidate for victory, Adam Yates (Great Britain), due to a crash and retirement, took a position at the front of the peloton in favor of overall leader Jay Vine (Australia). Decathlon AG2R Ramondial, which also set up an echelon (crosswind separation) with the UAE, also led the pack for Ben O’Connor (Australia), who was in second place overall with an 11 second difference. Buchmann chased following the leader of the race, who was now alone.
A group of people is closing the distance to the final mountain, Jebel Hafeet. Photo: CorVos
Brandon McNulty (USA, UAE Team Emirates), who was in 3rd place overall (+13 seconds), dropped out as a result of setting a high pace with Decathlon from the start of the climb up Jebel Hafeet. Even Vine, who was wearing the leader’s jersey, was delayed, and Bahrain Victorious and Astana Kazakhstan also joined in, leaving the UAE in a state of collapse.
After each team’s assists had completed their roles, the gap between the narrowed group and Buchmann was 30 seconds. With less than 4km remaining to the summit, the battle of attacks began with the acceleration of Einel Augusto Rubio (Colombia, Movistar), followed by O’Connor, Bilbao, Carlos Verona (Spain, Riddle Trek), and Max Poole (UK, DSM Firmenich). Post NL) and others rapidly increased the pace. Then, with 3km remaining, Buchmann was swallowed up, and the battle for attacks became even more intense.
Lennart van Ietveldt (Belgium, Lot Destiny) attacked with 2km remaining photo: CorVos
The race was narrowed down to eight riders due to the interval-like acceleration and deceleration, and Michael Stoller (Australia, Tudor Pro Cycling) jumped out at the section where the slope became gentler. He was followed by 22-year-old Lennart van Ietveldt (Belgium, Lotto Destiny) and Illan van Wilder (Belgium, Soudal Quickstep), who will be wearing the Young Rider Award jersey. Just before O’Connor and Bilbao might catch these three players, Van Ietveld made a move.
Van Eetveldt quickly gained a gap with his followers with his dancing, and he flew lightly while looking back from time to time. On the other hand, the aces of each team were in check once morest each other, so they were unable to build a cooperative posture. Van Ietveldt, who was in 9th place overall (+37 seconds) at the start, continued to push for the possibility of winning the section and overall victory until he reached the finish line. It was his first World Tour victory.
Lennart van Ietveldt (Belgium, Lotto Destiny) who won Jebel Hafitt and took the overall victory by 2 seconds. Photo: CorVos
O’Connor, who was the virtual overall leader as Vine was behind, finished 22 seconds later. Although he received a -4 second bonus time for finishing 3rd in the section, Van Ietveldt, who also gained -10 seconds, was 2 seconds better overall and took the overall victory at the 6th UAE Tour.
“When I was left behind in the second group due to a crosswind split, I thought my race was over.However, luckily I was able to rejoin the group and my legs felt good so I gave it my all.I have no regrets. I didn’t want to leave anything behind, so I attacked with 2km left.When I saw the gap widen, I mightn’t believe it.I mightn’t believe this victory, and I was really happy the moment I heard that I won the overall victory.” Van Eetveldt, wearing the red leader’s jersey, was delighted.
UAE Tour 2024 overall podium: 2nd place O’Connor, 1st place Van Ietveldt, 3rd place Bilbao photo: UAE Tour
Van Eetveldt is 22 years old and is in his second year as a professional player from Lotto Destiny’s junior team. He is a young Belgian climber who is attracting attention, having won the overall victory at France’s Alpes-Isère Tour last year despite being in only two classes, and finishing third in the mountain stage in his first appearance at the Vuelta a España.
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