Tadej Pogacar wins the UAE Tour on the Steep Slopes of Jebel Hafeet
Pogacar held off a challenge from Ineos Grenadiers’ Adam Yates over the last five kilometres on the final brutal climb of Jebel Hafeet
On Jebel Hafeet, Yates and Pogacar were joined by Joao Almeida and Pello Bilbao ahead of the final kilometre before Yates attacked taking Pogacar with him.
Third place went to Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious).
“It’s really important, a really big goal for us as a team,” said Pogacar after the win. “It’s the first race of the season but for us it’s one of the most important races so I’m super proud and happy.”
Pogacar said after his stage win, “I was in the overall lead ahead of him so I didn’t need to attack [Yates], I just had to follow. We all know his attacks are one of the best in the world. At one moment I was really suffering but luckily Adam also slowed down a bit, so it went all perfect for me."
VIDEO: 2022 UAE Tour Stage 7 Highlights
2022 UAE Tour Final Overall Classification
1 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 25:38:16
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:22
3 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:48
4 Joao Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:54
5 Carlos Verona (Spa) Movistar 0:00:55
6 Rafal Majka (Pol) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:17
7 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroen 0:01:24
8 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroen 0:01:46
9 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM
10 David de la Cruz (Spa) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:58
2022 UAE Tour Stage 7 Top 10
2 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:01
3 Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious 0:00:05
4 Joao Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:15
5 Luke Plapp (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:16
6 Carlos Verona (Spa) Movistar
7 Rafal Majka (Pol) UAE Team Emirates
8 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:30
9 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R Citroen 0:00:53
10 Chris Harper (NZl) Jumbo-Visma