Tim Merlier claimed his second stage win of the UAE Tour (after claiming yesterday’s Stage 5), overcoming a chaotic sprint to triumph on the penultimate day of racing. The Belgian surged through a narrow gap in the final metres, holding off Jasper Philipsen and Jonathan Milan at Abu Dhabi Breakwater.
With no major climbs or crosswinds to disrupt proceedings, the 165km stage always looked destined for a sprint showdown. The day’s early breakaway, featuring riders from Solution Tech-Vini Fantini and VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè, was kept on a tight leash by the sprint teams, with Visma-Lease a Bike, Soudal Quick-Step, Alpecin-Deceuninck, Lidl-Trek, and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe managing the chase.
Djordje Djuric extended his lead in the black jersey competition by taking maximum points in the intermediate sprints at Yas Marina Circuit and Qasr Al Hosn, but the breakaway was reeled in inside the final 3km, leaving the fastmen to battle it out.
Merlier found himself boxed in deep inside the last kilometre but took a gamble, launching his sprint with 300m to go. Despite a strong headwind, he surged clear, crossing the line in 3h44’14” at an average speed of 44.15km/h. Philipsen and Milan, despite being well-positioned, had no answer to the European champion’s raw power and had to settle for second and third respectively.
“I was in the washing machine,” said Merlier. “I found a gap at 300 to go and tried to surprise the others. The headwind made it a really long effort, so I was suffering. My lead-out crashed yesterday, so we lost each other at 1.9km to go. I missed him to make some space, and I was boxed in all the time. I thought I wasn’t going to make it, but I found that gap and gave it a try—it was enough.”
Pogačar stays in red ahead of Jebel Hafeet showdown
Tadej Pogačar rolled in safely with the bunch to retain his overall lead. The Slovenian, who continues to wear the red jersey, holds a 21-second advantage over Joshua Tarling, with Ivan Romeo a further six seconds back.
“Today I kept my calm and didn’t try to break away,” he said. “To be honest, I got bored, like most of the bunch today at some point. But it’s also part of cycling. I tried to look around and admire the city, but it’s always necessary to stay focused to avoid a crash. The UAE Tour is the home race for the team, so it’s an honour for me to race here and fight for the victory tomorrow at Jebel Hafeet.”
With the summit finish now looming, the final battle for overall victory is set to unfold on the slopes of Jebel Hafeet.
2025 UAE Tour Stage 6 result
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