Yates takes Tour of Oman crown in fine style

• Stage win and overall victory for UAE Team Emirates
• Emirati starlets shine in final stage victory for the team

UAE Team Emirates continued their strong start to the season with an emphatic win from Adam Yates on the final day of racing at the Tour of Oman.

The Emirati squad set a hot tempo in the bunch with the young UAE talents Abdulla Alhammadi and Mohammed Almutaiwei keeping the breakaway in check on the reduced stage from Samail Al Fayhaa Reshouse to Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) (72km).

As they reached the final 5km, it was the turn of Veteran Diego Ulissi who’s high pace shattered the bunch which still included race leader Finn Fisher-Black and stage winner Adam Yates. On the steepest final kilometre of Green Mountain, Yates reacted to the attack of Jan Hirt (Soudal Quickstep) and put him to the sword in the last 300m as he danced on the pedals all the way to the line.

The win secures the overall classification for Yates while Fisher-Black took 3rd place on the podium with Hirt in 2nd.

Yates: “I’m really happy with that win. Diego put in a big turn from the bottom of the climb and set a really hard pace. The last couple of days the weather has been so bad, but we’ve fought through it and made the best of the week. Hirt put in a big attack in the last kilometre, and I reacted and had a little more in the tank so could go solo. We had to work hard for it, but we managed to take the win which we’re really happy about.

We have two young guys in the squad from UAE this week who have worked hard and got great experience, so it’s been a big week for the team overall. I think we’re in a really good place now heading into UAE Tour next week.”

Stage 5 results

1.Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 1:49:37

2.Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick Step) +11”

3.Huub Artz (Intermarche Wanty) +29”

Final Classification

1.Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 14:22:30

2.Jan Hirt (Soudal Quick Step) +19”

3.Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) +39”

4.Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) +44”