Ganna Wins UAE Tour Time Trial as Pogacar Grabs Lead

Date: 23 February 2021 - 22:11

News ID: ۸۷۹۴۲

DUBAI (Dispatches) - Italy’s Filippo Ganna has won 13km individual time trial on the second stage of the UAE Tour as Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar took over the race lead.
Ineos rider Ganna, the reigning time trial world champion, clocked 13min 56sec on the circuit around Al Hudayriyat Island, finishing 14sec clear of Switzerland’s Stefan Bissegger.
Pogacar was fourth on the day and inherited the leader’s red jersey vacated by Mathieu van der Poel following Alpecin-Fenix’s decision to withdraw from the race after a member of the team’s staff tested positive for Covid-19.
The Slovene holds a five-second lead over Portugal’s Joao Almeida, who came sixth in the time trial.
"I did not start with any particular result in my mind, I just wanted to go as fast and as good as I could and I think I managed to do that,” said Pogacar.
"I’m in a good position now with five stages to go, but anything can happen, and tomorrow we already have the hardest finish for this Tour at Jabel Hafeet.”
Tuesday’s third stage is a 162km run from Al Ain to Jebel Hafeet and concludes with a summit finish.