Tadej Pogacar powered to victory on the summit of Jebel Jais on Wednesday as the Slovenian secured his first stage win of 2025 at the UAE Tour.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider, watched on by his parents, triumphed in a sprint finish on Stage 3 after a 20-kilometre climb, crossing the line ahead of Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), with reigning champion Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto) fourth.
It was the Slovenian’s 89th career win and his seventh at the UAE Tour, which saw him take the overall lead as Stage 2 time-trial winner Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) dropped from the lead group inside the final kilometre.
Pogacar is now in prime position to win his third UAE Tour title after establishing an 18-second advantage on overnight leader Tarling, with Pablo Castrillo (Movistar) a further five seconds back in third.
“We finally have a victory after three days and we are super happy,” said the three-time Tour de France champion after the 181km ride from Ras Al-Khaimah to Jebel Jais.
“We did perfect, it was a hard day for the guys to control the race because it's long. We had no help whatsoever until the final climb and we executed it really good. Everybody deserves a victory today from our team, so I'm super happy.”
Pogacar's teammates set him up perfectly for the stage honours, injecting ideal pace for their rainbow-jersey wearing leader to pounce.
“We asked Ineos if they wanted to pay the honours to the jersey from the start, but we were left alone,” added Pogacar
“Rune [Herregodts] was really good pulling all day and then Lotto helped us a bit and then in the climb we just tried to do our own pace.
“It’s really good to win in the rainbow jersey. Part of me hoped that Tarling would hold on to the bunch and he would keep the jersey, but I will be more than happy to have the leader’s jersey tomorrow instead of the rainbows.”
Despite the team's dominance on Stage 3, Pogacar played down the idea that a third title was safely in the bag.
“It's not finished yet,” he insisted. “Now three stages of flat. You never know what happens here. You can lose it really quickly. So, nothing is won yet.
“Tomorrow is the middle point of the race. So, yeah, still more than halfway to go.”
Pogacar finished 10th in the opening stage and followed up with a third-place finish in the Stage 2 time trial before the impressive win at Jebel Jais.
Thursday’s Stage 4 is another 181km route flat stage from Fujairah Qidfa Beach to Umm Al Quwain.
Stage 3 results:
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4 hrs 36 min 04 sec
2. Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) + 00
3. Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) + 00
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG)
2. Joshua Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) at 18″
3. Pablo Castrillo (Movistar Team) at 23″
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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