Latest news with #Herregodts
Al Etihad
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Torres steps up for Team Emirates-XRG at Giro d'Abruzzo
18 Apr 2025 00:36 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) The UAE Team Emirates-XRG continued its fine week of racing in Italy when Pablo Torres took fourth place on Stage 3 of the Giro d'Abruzzo on Thursday. The young Spaniard made a daring late attack, moving up to third place in the general classification. Behind Torres, Stage 1 winner Alessandro Covi fought bravely to come over the line in eighth, leaving him sitting seventh overall heading into the fourth and final day of racing on Friday. Winning both stages of the Giro d'Abruzzo heading into Thursday, UAE Team Emirates-XRG looked to continue on the front foot and placed Rune Herregodts in the breakaway on stage 3. The Belgian rider attacked with 137 kilometres to go, alongside four other riders, with their group quickly gaining a significant advantage over the peloton. Not only did Herregodts spend much of the day as the virtual leader of the race on the road – forcing the likes of Tudor Pro Cycling to work behind – but he was also in the perfect position to help his teammates on the final 16.2km climb to the finish line. Standing at an average incline of 5.3%, the third big mountain of the day would bring the riders to the end of this year's Queen stage. With Herregodts out front, it was Torres who began to work over his opposition from the Spaniard began the day just 23 seconds off the race lead, and he followed a speculative attack from David de la Cruz of Q36.5 Pro Cycling some 9km from the summit. Riding hard alongside De la Cruz and Mathys Rondel (Tudor Pro Cycling), Torres began to make inroads towards Herregodts and his fellow survivor from the breakaway, Ben Granger (Vis Costruzioni Ambiente). Over the next couple of kilometres, Torres activated his satellite rider in Herregodts, who waited up for the chasers and began to extend their advantage over the peloton. At the 6.5km to go mark, Herregodts delivered his last big pull and waved goodbye to his teammate. In amongst these moments, as Granger was caught and dropped, young Colombian rider Edison Alejandro Callejas (Petrolike) made an opportunistic attack, and to his credit, it appeared as though he had the legs to cash this cheque. As the kilometres ticked by, the 24-year-old not only held, but extended his gap over the Torres group behind. While the wet conditions in Italy continued to cloak the mountain in a deep mist, Callejas pushed on, eventually crossing the line as the unlikely but well-deserved winner of the stage. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Khaleej Times
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Tadej Pogacar delighted after winning UAE Tour title
Tadej Pogacar was delighted after producing a vintage display on Jebel Hafeet to win the seventh and final stage of the UAE Tour. In doing so, the world champion sealed the UAE Tour title, marking his third victory in this race and a perfect display on home roads for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. The Slovenian rode clear from his rivals with 7.8km of the final climb still to go, having formed part of an elite selection that left the peloton behind in the crosswinds. Once out front on his own, Pogačar would not be caught and simply extended his advantage to the line. With enough time to offer up high fives to the fans in attendance, Pogačar could celebrate his victory at the finish and punch the air as the now three-time UAE Tour champion. 'It was a crosswinds so it was good to make some chaos in the group. For us GC riders we had to be really careful and always be attentive. Somehow it worked, at first I didn't believe it would be cooperative but it went to the finish, so for me it was a really good day," Pogacar said. The stage victory is the Slovenian's sixth at this race in his career, with today proving his third win atop the Jebel Hafeet Mountain. By wrapping up the general classification in style, Pogačar brings UAE Team Emirates-XRG its first title at the race since 2022. Earlier in the day, Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates Rune Herregodts and Florian Vermeersch had managed to manoeuvre their way into a handy position. With crosswinds whipping across the road at 125km to go, the trio placed themselves within an elite selection of riders that nipped off the front of the peloton. As the echelons formed, so too did the leading group which would come to define the day. Kilometre by kilometre, this front group escaped the clutches of the peloton, and they would not be seen again. Flanked by his teammates, Pogačar was in the perfect position to surf the wheels and enjoy a relaxed approach to the final climb. Beginning the Jebel Hafeet climb with an advantage of three minutes over the peloton behind – which included reigning UAE Tour champion Lennert Van (Lotto) – Vermeersch set the pace at the front of the race. Working on behalf of Pogačar, the Belgian produced a hard tempo right from the off and he would hand over to the reins to Herregodts with 8.3km to ride. Herregodts' effort was mighty, with the new UAE Team Emirates-XRG recruit burying himself over the next 500m to tee up Pogačar's ultimate attack. Literally riding himself to a standstill, Herregodts pulled off with 7.8km to go, at which point Pogačar decided it was time to fly. The Slovenian made not one, but two searing accelerations which delivered a hammer blow to his toughest initial competitors, Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek). Over the next kilometre, Pogačar settled into his rhythm and the gap to those behind began to grow. The two-time UAE Tour champion would soon complete the three-peat, with the race leader not to be caught before the finish. Coming across the line 33 seconds ahead of Ciccone, the world champion delivered his second stage victory of the week and sealed his third UAE Tour title. Pogačar now adds the 2025 edition to his victories from 2021 and 2022. 'With Florian and Rune in the front, they kept getting me water and cooling me down. For me, it was ideal. [I attacked with 7.8km to go because] that's when Rune pulled off his effort. The guys did a great job for me and I decided to try and go solo, I didn't want to be surprised or counterattacked or anything," Pogacar said. 'Now, I don't race stage races anymore until Dauphiné, so it's time to switch the mind to the one-day classics and I will try to enjoy!'
