After two consecutive sprint victories by Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick Step) in the 5th and 6th stages, the UAE Tour peloton faces the decisive test with the final climb to Jebel Hafeet. Tadej will start the last stage in the leader’s red jersey with a 21-second advantage over Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) and a 28-second lead over Ivan Romeo (Movistar).
However, Tadej did not just hide in the peloton during the flat stages. In the 5th stage, he participated in a 100-kilometer breakaway with eleven riders, alongside his UAE Team Emirates – XRG teammate Domen Novak. The peloton caught them in the end, but it was a record-fast stage of the UAE Tour with an average speed of almost 49 km/h. In the 6th stage, Tadej did not go into action, focusing only on safely reaching the finish and saving some energy for the decisive day.
Tomorrow he will have to take on Jebel Hafeet, a 10.8-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 6.6 percent, where Tadej has already won in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Despite this and the good form he has shown this week, he remains cautious in his predictions.
»In a one-week stage race with an uphill sprint, one time trial, three bunch sprints and two mountain stages, you have to be good every day. We are used to the UAE Tour. I’m also used to Jebel Hafeet. I’ve already won there several times but I also lost once to Adam Yates who is now my team-mate. I hope I can deliver again tomorrow or if it’s not me, maybe Jay Vine can do it. For sure we’ll go for it, either way, and bring some more memories from the UAE. We have two cards to play. Jay is also up there on GC. He’s super strong. Let’s hope for good legs tomorrow. It’s going to be another windy day so we’ll have to stay focused from start to finish,« said Tadej, who is aiming for his third overall victory in the UAE Tour, where he already won in 2021 and 2022.