Tim Merlier lands second UAE Tour stage win

Soudal-QuickStep teammate Remco Evenepoel retains overall lead going into final stage

Tim Merlier of Soudal-Quick Step won the penultimate stage of the UAE Tour on Saturday, February 25, 2023. Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency

Tim Merlier celebrated his second stage win in the UAE Tour by taking the penultimate stage in another bunch sprint at Abu Dhabi Breakwater on Saturday.

The Soudal-QuickStep rider got the better of Bennett of Bora-Hansgrohe and stage 5 winner Dylan Groenewegen of Jayco-Alula in Abu Dhabi, covering a distance of 166 kilometres in three hours, 41 minutes and 12 seconds.

“It was another hectic finish today but I was put into a great position with 500 metres to go and then went for a long sprint. Thankfully I was able to hold on and I am happy to win in the Green Jersey,” Merlier said.

“Today was a good one. It was hectic. Everyone was so nervous because it was the last sprint, the last opportunity I think, and it was really dangerous. In the last 500 metres, I found the good spot and I went again from far out. Today it was enough.

“We did a recon of the stage and we knew before it was going to be really hectic, like the last days again. But we found a good way and you need a bit of luck here.”

Merlier’s Soudal-QuickStep teammate Remco Evenepoel finished safely in the peloton and he remains in the overall lead ahead of the testing mountaintop finale on Jebel Hafeet on Sunday.

The Belgian carries a lead of nine seconds over Luke Plapp of Ineos Grenaders, with Pello Bilbao of Bahrain Victorious in third overall at 13 seconds.

“The morale in the team is very high after achieving our third stage win of the race,” Evenepoel said.

“There is a very high standard of sprinters here so it’s special for Tim as well to claim his second victory, and it was great to see him celebrate in the Green Jersey.

“I managed to stay out of trouble during the whole stage and even pull a bit before the sprint and I am focused on tomorrow now. It is an important one for me and I would very much like to defend this Red Jersey and win this race.”