The sixth stage of the UAE Tour 2024 once again went to Tim Merlier. After 138 kilometers, the Belgian sprinter of Soudal Quick-Step was the first to cross the finish line in Abu Dhabi Breakwater. Australian Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) retained the race lead with one day to go.
In another finish for sprinters, green-clad Merlier was again the strongest at the finish and this time he beat Dutchman Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) and German Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain – Victorious), who finished second and third, respectively.
Colombians Fernando Gaviria (Movistar Team) and Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates) were at the forefront of the day, finishing eighth and ninth, positions that kept them with good performance in the overall individual classification.
The penultimate flat stage of the Arabian race was animated by Belgian Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin – Deceuninck), German Henri Uhlig (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Spanish Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl – Trek), French Eddy Finé (Cofidis) and Italian Marco Murgano (Team Corratec – Vini Fantini), however, the adventure ended with 12 kilometers to go.
In the final stretch, the Soudal Quick-Step team got to the front of the peloton and accelerated the pace. In the final straight, Belgian Tim Merlier was well positioned and finished off the work of his teammates, taking his third win in the Arabian race.
In the general classification, Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) kept the red leader’s jersey with 11 seconds ahead of his compatriot Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) and 13 seconds ahead of American Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates). The zipaquireño Brandon Smith Rivera (INEOS Grenadiers) retained the 13th place.
This Sunday will take place the last stage of the UAE Tour 2024, a day of 161 kilometers to Al Ain Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa and Jebel Hafeet, which will have a high finish of 10 km at 6.7 percent.
Results Stage 6 | Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum – Abu Dhabi Breakwater (138 km)
| 1 | Tim Merlier | Soudal – Quick Step | 3:02:14 |
| 2 | Arvid de Kleijn | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | ,, |
| 3 | Phil Bauhaus | Bahrain – Victorious | ,, |
| 4 | Milan Fretin | Cofidis | ,, |
| 5 | Gleb Syritsa | Astana Qazaqstan Team | ,, |
Ranking General
| 1 | Jay Vine | UAE Team Emirates | 18:52:23 |
| 2 | Ben O’Connor | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 0:11 |
| 3 | Brandon McNulty | UAE Team Emirates | 0:13 |
| 4 | Ilan Van Wilder | Soudal – Quick Step | 0:21 |
| 5 | Pello Bilbao | Bahrain – Victorious | 0:22 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico