Rui Costa wins the Abu Dhabi Tour
Caleb Ewan wins the final stage, Yas Island Stage,
raced entirely on the Yas Marina Circuit

Yas Marina Circuit, 26 February 2017 – The Portuguese rider Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (UAE Abu Dhabi) has won the 2017 Abu Dhabi Tour, the unique UCI WorldTour race in the Middle East. Second in the General Classification is Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha Alpecin) with Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) in third place.

Final Stage 4 – the Yas Island Stage (143km) – has been won in a bunch sprint by the Australian rider Caleb Ewan (Orica – Scott).

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (UAE Abu Dhabi)
2 – Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha Alpecin) at 4″
3 – Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) at 16″
4 – Bauke Mollema (Trek – Segafredo) at 38″
5 – Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) at 53″

JERSEYS

The Red Jersey, sponsored by the Al Maryah Island (General individual classification by time) – Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (UAE Abu Dhabi)
The Green Jersey, sponsored by Nation Towers (General individual classification by points) – Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data)
The White Jersey, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports Channel (Best Young Rider born after 1 January 1992) – Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors)
The Black Jersey, sponsored by Etihad Airways (Intermediate Sprint Jersey Classification) – Patrick Konrad (Bora – Hansgrohe)
STAGE RESULT
1 – Caleb Ewan (Orica – Scott) 143km in 3h03’36”, average speed 46.859km/h
2 – Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) s.t.
3 – Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) s.t.

Speaking seconds after the stage finish, the Abu Dhabi Tour winner Rui Costa said: “The course was very complicated and difficult especially with the rain. I’m very relieved to win this race for our sponsors and I would like to thank our management.”

The stage winner, Caleb Ewan, said: “I guess I started this race on a real low with that crash and then I finished on an absolute high. After stage 2 I’m really happy to repay my team with a win. They did a great job, we started working early and we knew on this course which were the important corners. They controlled the race from 15km out and no one really came past us from that moment on. If you really want to be on top you need to beat Kittel, Cavendish and Greipel and for me beating them all here… I’m over the moon with that.”

Press conference interviews and further details to follow.

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Photo credits: ANSA – Peri / Bazzi

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