Jebel Hafeet (United Arab Emirates) (AFP)
UAE Tour leader Tadej Pogacar defeated Jebel Hafeet at the end of stage three on Tuesday, with the Slovenian sprinting ahead of Britain's Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) and Colombian Sergio Higuita (EF Education-Nippo) .
Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) thus increases its lead overall.
His runner-up, Yates, 5th at the start of the stage, is 43 seconds behind.
The Portuguese Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick Step), behind in the last kilometers of the climb (10 kilometers at 5.4%), lost one place, 1'03 behind the leader.
On this 166-kilometer stage between Al Ain and the first summit finish, the American Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) attacked five km from the finish.
Yates responded a mile further and started his duel with Pogacar.
Remaining quietly in the wheel of Yates, the title holder of the Tour de France patiently waited for the last 400 meters to take over and win in the sprint.
Twice winner at Jebel Hafeet, Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was dropped at 7km, followed by Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation).
The Briton however did a good job since he moved from 88th to 44th place overall.
From Al Ain, the Frenchman Tony Gallopin (AG2R-Citroën) launched the breakaway of the day, joined by the Belgian Thomas de Gendt.
The peloton left the two leading men alone, who were more than 6 minutes ahead of the peloton.
Gallopin finally let go of his breakaway companion at the foot of Jebel Hafeet before being caught by the peloton led by Pogacar teammates.
At 22, Pogacar signed his first victory of the season and offered his second success to Jebel Hafeet where he had already won a stage last year.
The longest stage of the Tour of the United Arab Emirates (204km), around the island of Al Marjan, awaits the riders on Wednesday.
© 2021 AFP