The fifth stage of the UAE Tour 2024 was won by Olav Kooij. The young Dutchman from Visma | Lease a Bike was the fastest in the sprint, after riding 182 kilometers between the towns of Al Aqah and Umm Al Quwain. Australian Jay Vine kept the leader’s red jersey.
The 21-year-old sprinter defeated Belgian Tim Merlier (Soudal – Quick Step) and Australian Sam Welsford (BORA-Hansgrohe), who came in second and third, respectively. All Colombians entered the main bunch with the same time as the winner.
Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates) was the best of our team in 16th place. Fernando Gaviria (Movistar Team) came in 20th, Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) 41st, Jesús David Peña (Team Jayco AlUla) 57th, Harold Tejada (Astana Qazaqstan Team) 64th and Brandon Rivera (INEOS Grenadiers) 97th.
From the city of Al Aqah, the fifth day started with few mountainous obstacles. In the first quarter of the stage there was still a climb, but due to the strong headwind, the attackers were at a disadvantage. However, a trio tried: Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek) and the Lotto Dstny duo of Lennert Van Eetvelt and Harm Vanhoucke.
The three escapees built up a lead that hovered around 6 minutes. Still, a mass finish was written and so it was, although Mosca resisted capture, he was finally neutralized. In a nice and wide finish, despite the headwind, Olav Kooij was declared the winner with the help of the photo finish.
The Arabian race will continue this Saturday with the sixth stage, another billiard-table flat day of 138 kilometers starting at Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum and finishing at Abu Dhabi Breakwater.
Results Stage 5 | Al Aqah – Umm Al Quwain (182 km)
| 1 | Olav Kooij | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 4:08:38 |
| 2 | Tim Merlier | Soudal – Quick Step | ,, |
| 3 | Sam Welsford | BORA – hansgrohe | ,, |
| 4 | Simone Consonni | Lidl – Trek | ,, |
| 5 | Milan Fretin | Cofidis | ,, |
Ranking General
| 1 | Jay Vine | UAE Team Emirates | 15:50:09 |
| 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