Welsh rider Josh Tarling won stage two of the UAE Tour to take the overall lead in the week-long race.
Three days after his 21st birthday, the Ineos Grenadiers rider won a 12km test against the clock ahead of Switzerland’s Stefan Bissegger and three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar.
Victory in Tuesday’s time trial marks a second win for Tarling on the World Tour since turning professional, having previously won at the 2023 Renewi Tour.
“From the end of last year, I had a bit of bad luck, and I kept coming second in the TTs [time trials] with Remco [Evenepoel]. I needed this. I’m super happy,” said Tarling.
The British time trial champion averaged 56.670km/h for a comfortable winning margin of 13 seconds over runner-up Bissegger (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) finished a further five seconds down.
“It was really windy,” added Tarling.
“The first part was the hardest, then we got a bit of respite with the corners before the end. It was kind of two halves.”
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Tarling will take a 13-second lead in the general classification into Wednesday’s stage three, a first big climbing test with a summit finish to the 19km-long Jebel Jais mountain ascent.
“I think tomorrow’s going to be a big day,” said Tarling.
“Hopefully I get a bit of confidence back now. I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
Tarling’s victory is a further boost for Ineos Grenadiers, a day after Michal Kwiatkowski won at the Clasica Jaen in Spain.
The Polish rider’s success ended a long winless streak for the British team, stretching back to last June’s Criterium Dauphine.
However, the Spanish one-day race also saw Ineos rider Egan Bernal break his collarbone in a crash during the closing stages.
Ineos Grenadiers have not put a timeframe on Bernal’s return.