16 Mar 2022
Grenadiers impress on UAE summit
Related riders
Adam Yates
UAE Tour - Stage 4 » Fujairah Fort › Jebel Jais, 181km
The INEOS Grenadiers put in a string of impressive rides on the first day of climbing at the UAE Tour.
Adam Yates was active on the Jebel Jais summit, riding at the head of the lead group and eventually taking second place on the stage.
The Brit crossed the line on the same time as victor Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), and moved up to fourth overall in the process.
Yates was joined by Fiippo Ganna and Luke Plapp in the final kilometres. Ganna put in a sensational ride to come within touching distance of taking the race lead. The Italian buried himself to finish 11th, on the back of a group that finished three seconds back on Pogacar. Bonus seconds elevated the Slovenian into a narrow two-second lead over Ganna – who once again demonstrated his incredible all-round credentials.
Also a star on the stage, neo-pro Luke Plapp helped shut down a number of dangerous moves and rode on the front in elite company during his first stage race for the team.
The Brit crossed the line on the same time as victor Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), and moved up to fourth overall in the process.
Yates was joined by Fiippo Ganna and Luke Plapp in the final kilometres. Ganna put in a sensational ride to come within touching distance of taking the race lead. The Italian buried himself to finish 11th, on the back of a group that finished three seconds back on Pogacar. Bonus seconds elevated the Slovenian into a narrow two-second lead over Ganna – who once again demonstrated his incredible all-round credentials.
Also a star on the stage, neo-pro Luke Plapp helped shut down a number of dangerous moves and rode on the front in elite company during his first stage race for the team.
The next two stages will see the sprinters return to the fore, ahead of a final GC showdown on Saturday.
Reaction
- Adam Yates
"Ganna in second! A top ten of climbers and then the big fella. We did a really good race. But to be honest on this climb, it’s pretty hard to get it right. With a 5% average the whole way and the wind plays a factor so we tried to be conservative today. Plappy did a great job closing moves and then his attack was impressive in the final trying to chip off for the win. And the big fella was still there! So it’s been a good day.
"I was with Pogacar but he’s pretty quick on this type of finish hey? It was the best we could do but we gave it a crack. Like we've said all along, Saturday will be the critical climb."
- Luke Plapp
"It was… I don’t have the words! It was good fun. I thought we controlled it pretty well. But it was too easy to ride tempo up that climb I think. Once you had a gap it was too easy for the group to ride it back.
"But we gave it a crack and Adam got second so it keeps us in the fight for the final day and anything can happen there. We’re still in the hunt.
"I had some pretty good legs today. For the first time I didn’t know where that would sit in the WorldTour, so I was pretty happy with that.
"But ride of the day - Pippo. It was awesome to see him do that and so nearly take the jersey."
- Adam Yates
"Ganna in second! A top ten of climbers and then the big fella. We did a really good race. But to be honest on this climb, it’s pretty hard to get it right. With a 5% average the whole way and the wind plays a factor so we tried to be conservative today. Plappy did a great job closing moves and then his attack was impressive in the final trying to chip off for the win. And the big fella was still there! So it’s been a good day.
"I was with Pogacar but he’s pretty quick on this type of finish hey? It was the best we could do but we gave it a crack. Like we've said all along, Saturday will be the critical climb."
- Luke Plapp
"It was… I don’t have the words! It was good fun. I thought we controlled it pretty well. But it was too easy to ride tempo up that climb I think. Once you had a gap it was too easy for the group to ride it back.
"But we gave it a crack and Adam got second so it keeps us in the fight for the final day and anything can happen there. We’re still in the hunt.
"I had some pretty good legs today. For the first time I didn’t know where that would sit in the WorldTour, so I was pretty happy with that.
"But ride of the day - Pippo. It was awesome to see him do that and so nearly take the jersey."
