Tim Merlier of Soudal-QuickStep achieved his second consecutive sprint victory at the UAE Tour by executing a powerful early launch on the final straight at Abu Dhabi Breakwater. He outpaced rivals Jasper Philipsen and Jonathan Milan, taking the lead decisively in the closing metres of the race's penultimate stage. Although awaiting teammate support was complicated due to a crash, Merlier skillfully navigated through the crowd to secure his win despite challenging conditions, showcasing his strength and strategic skill in the sprint finish.
"I was in the washing machine like they say. I found a gap at 300 to go and tried to surprise the others. The headwind was a really long effort, so I'm suffering," Merlier said after the finish.
"It was really difficult to organise. Also, my lead-out crashed yesterday so maybe it wasn't a good idea to do real work today. But we tried what we could. We lost each other at 1.9 km to go."
"I missed him to make some space for me and I was boxed in, boxed in, boxed in all the time. I thought I wasn't going to make it but I found a gap with 300 to go and then I just gave it a try and it was enough."
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