Tim Merlier made up for defeat the previous day by winning Stage 5 of the UAE Tour in another thrilling sprint finish in Dubai on Friday.
The Soudal Quick-Step rider stormed to victory ahead of Matteo Malucelli and Jonathan Milan at the end of the 160-kilometre flat route from American University to Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider and world champion Tadej Pogacar picked up three bonus points by taking the first intermediate sprint to stretch his GC lead to 21 seconds from Ineos Grenadiers man Joshua Tarling.
The stage was marred by a couple of crashes as the cyclists scrambled for positions in the last few kilometres of the race.
“We discussed yesterday with the team what we did wrong, and today we did a really good job,” Merlier said after the stage.
“They brought me in a really good position towards the last one kilometre and a half, and in the last corner I came on to the wheel of Milan, and then the crash behind.
“I was waiting, waiting, waiting for my moment. I’m really happy. Some riders were really motivated to have a training day today, so it was a hard pace all day, but for us it was okay.”
Merlier’s win makes him the first rider to pick up six wins at the UAE Tour.
He added: “I’m always happy to come over here. I like this country but also Saudi, Oman, I like to race in these kinds of races. Happy to take another victory here this season.”
Pogacar is now sitting pretty for a third UAE Tour title and his first since 2023.
“It was another tough day because we were in the breakaway, me and Domen [Novak], we found ourselves in the front and it was a good day, we take some bonus seconds as well and we did a good effort,” the three-time Tour de France winner said.
Leader of the race, UAE Team Emirates' Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar celebrates on the podium at the end of the fifth stage. AFP
“It was just a fast day, because of that we finish soon the stage. So, also today the team did a great job as we have seen it since the beginning.
“The team is as always exceptional. We never have any problem with positioning or with the legs. We're always where we want to be and today also in the final, we stayed safe with everybody.
“I'm really happy to be in this UAE Team Emirates and racing for the home country and representing this team. It's just great and I wouldn't change it for the world.”
With Saturday’s stage in Abu Dhabi followed by the final day’s mountain stage finish atop Jebel Hafeet, Pogacar warned the race is not won until it’s won.
“Let's not jinx it, tomorrow is another sprint stage, you never know what happens,” he added.
“Then it's a very tough stage on the final day, a lot of wind, it's going to be really hot and with the climb in the end, so, it will be super important to stay focussed and then to push with good legs on the final on Sunday.”
Stage 5 results:
1. Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) 3:16:55
2. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) +0
3. Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana) +0
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) 15:40:34
2. Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) at 21sec
3. Ivan Romeo (Movistar Team) at 27sec
Stage 6 - Saturday
Stage 7 - Sunday
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Six large-scale objects on show
Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
Torrijos Palace dome
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities. Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids. Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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