UAE Tour 2024: Merlier wins uphill sprint to take race lead

Results 1st stage 2024 UAE Tour

1. Tim Merlier (bel)
2. Arvid de Kleijn (nld) s.t.
3. Jakub Mareczko (ita) s.t.
4. Fabio Jakobsen (nld) s.t.
5. Sam Welsford (aus) s.t.
6. Fernando Gaviria (col) s.t.
7. Sebastián Molano (col) s.t.
8. Simone Consonni (ita) s.t.
9. Phil Bauhaus (ger) s.t.
10. Jarne Van de Paar (bel) s.t.

GC after stage 1
1. Tim Merlier
2. Arvid de Kleijn (NL) + 0.04
3. Mark Stewart (gbr) s.t.
4. Jakub Mareczko (ita) + 0.06
5. Marco Murgano (ita) s.t.
6. Pello Bibao (spa) + 0.09
7. Fabio Jakobsen (NE) + 0.10
8. Sam Welsford (aus) s.t.
9. Fernando Gaviria (col) s.t.
10. Sebastián Molano (col) s.t.

Race report
Mark Stewart is the first attackers after roughly 30 kilometres. His team mate Marco Murgano joins him and the two open up a 4 minutes gap.

Stewart heads out alone with 24 kilometres to go, but he is caught 2 kilometres later.

Gaviria opens his sprint early, but runs out of steam, while Merlier times his sprint to perfection and takes a commanding victory.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage 2024 UAE Tour.

UAE Tour 2024 – stage 1: route, profile, more

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