BARCELONA, 24 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla) won the fifth stage of the UAE Tour this Friday, played between Al Marjan Island and Umm al Quwain over 170 kilometres, in a clean sprint in which he prevailed with authority over Fernando Gaviria (Movistar Team ) and Sam Bennett (BORA-hansgrohe), in a day without changes in the overall standings led by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step).
Groenewegen, when he’s good, is unstoppable. And, despite the bad feelings of the fourth stage, when he was fourth in a similar sprint, this time he made his way to take the left side of the road and had no rival.
Only the Colombian from Movistar Fernando Gaviria could keep up with his rhythm, with no margin on the left to pass –through the fences– nor strength to open up. He had to limit himself to following him to be second, with Irishman Bennett third, Emils Liepins (Trek-Segafredo) fourth and Timer Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) fifth.
It is the second victory so far in 2023 for Groenewegen, who already won in the first stage of the Saudi Tour, motivated by leaving AlUla -the team’s sponsor city–, and his 65th professional victory.
For this Saturday, the sixth and penultimate stage of this fifth UAE Tour will start from the Warner Bros Park in Abu Dhabi and will reach the ‘Breakwater’ of the Emirati capital after 166 flat kilometers, with a presumable final massive sprint.