Van der Poel wins the wind edge stage at the start

Results report 3rd UAE tour

21.02.2021  | (rsn) – Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Fenix) promptly won the first WorldTour race of the 2021 season.  The  cross-world champion prevailed in Al Mirfa at the end of the 1st stage of the UAE Tour in a sprint of a top group of 26, which had already formed 110 kilometers before the end of the section in strong crosswinds in the desert.

Van der Poel won in Al Mirfa in front of his Dutch compatriot David Dekker (Jumbo – Visma) and the Dane Michael Morkov (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), whose team dominated the whole day and also made the preliminary decision on the edge of the wind But then literally took the butter off the bread for the last two kilometers. Elia Viviani (Cofidis) came in fifth.

Also part of the top group were Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), defending champion Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) and Portuguese Joao Almeida (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), who are now the favorites for the overall victory since 26 -headed group brought more than eight minutes ahead to the finish line.