Pascal Ackermann held off Caleb Ewan to clinch victory on the opening stage of the UAE Tour.
The German will wear the leader’s red jersey ahead of Monday’s second stage from Hatta Heritage Village to Hatta Dam.
Here are three takeaways and observations from day one.
SUPER ACKERMANN
A brilliant start to the week for the Kandel native.
He started his sprint 300 metres from home and, helped by the industrious work of his Bora-Hansgrohe teammates, fended off the classy Ewan to seal his first win in the UAE.
It was Mitchelton-Scott who led the sprint onto the final straight, attempting to set things up for Luka Mezgec. But it wasn’t enough.
With Ewan and Rudy Barbier starting to pick up their pace, Ackermann powered further ahead of his rivals to clinch his second win of the year after victory at the Clasica de Almeria last week.
And with sprints on stages four, six and seven, the 26-year-old is now placed in an ideal position for further success later in the week.
🇦🇪 #UAETour
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) February 23, 2020
Winners ceremony for @Ackes171 . First WorldTour victory for the #BandOfBrothers in 2020 🏆 pic.twitter.com/duAtorlsR6
FROOME WATCH
Chris Froome was back on the start line for the first time in eight months after suffering career-threatening injuries during a Criterium du Dauphine practice ride last June.
After months of intensive rehab on his fractured elbow, femur and vertebrae, the 34-year-old completed the first stage on his path to clinching a record-equalling fifth Tour title in July.
The Briton smiled all day whenever the cameras panned towards him in the peloton, and he looked to be enjoying his racing again.
Throughout the 148km stage to Silicon Oasis, he swapped chat with his Team Ineos teammates and Bahrain-McLaren rider Wout Poels.
It’s fantastic to see Froome back racing and it is hoped he can continue to kick on and rediscover that sizzling form as the week and season progresses.
"It feels good to be a bike racer again."@chrisfroome is a happy man after completing the opening stage at #UAETour - his first competitive kilometres for eight months. pic.twitter.com/HarwuRgzdb
— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) February 23, 2020
MORE TO COME FOR GROENEWEGEN
The flying Dutchman, who has two wins already this season, came like a rocket over the finish line but had to settle for fourth.
The competitive beast in him will be disappointed with the result, yet he was sitting in 13th place in the final 250 metres, and only really launched his sprint with 100 metres remaining, nearly notching a podium place in the process.
If he positioned himself correctly, the lightning-fast 26-year-old would have been more of a threat to Ackermann and Ewan at the sharp end of the leaderboard.
Still, it’s only the first stage and Groenewegen will no doubt be targeting more victories as the week goes on.
The Amsterdam man has solid form in the UAE, having won the young riders’ jersey at the 2017 Dubai Tour and then sealing the opening stage to Palm Jumeirah in the 2018 Dubai Tour.
🇦🇪 #UAETour
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) February 23, 2020
The confirmation of @GroenewegenD his fourth place. More sprint chances to come.👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/3Pyh8SVJxu
