UAE Team Emirates' Tadej Pogačar finished second in the ITT Castiglione delle Stiviere-Desenzano del Garda (31.2 km), on Saturday, 29 seconds behind the winner Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers).
Pogačar covered the course in 35’31” (average speed 52.708 km/h), 45 seconds faster than Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) and 1 minute 16 seconds more than Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe), meaning after stage 14, Pogačar has an advantage of 3’41” on Thomas and 3’56” on Martinez.
The UAE Team Emirates’ captain sprang out fast from the start, marking the best performance at the first time point and succeeded in limiting the gap from top time trialists such as Filippo Ganna, who could exploit his power on the flat roads of the second part of the course.
Stage 15 (222 km) is a demanding hill climb: after the start from Manerba del Garda, the riders will climb the Lodrino (3rd category), the Colle di san Zeno (2nd category), the Mortirolo (1st category), the Passo del Foscagno (1st category) and the summit finish of the Mottolino (1st category).
Belinda Bencic became Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open champion for the second time, on Saturday, after coming from behind to defeat Ashlyn Krueger in the final, capping a remarkable comeback story.
Belinda Bencic is through to another Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open final after eliminating reigning champion Elena Rybakina in a pulsating contest. The Swiss star will now meet Ashlyn Krueger, who defeated Linda Noskova in straight sets, in Saturday's final.
The Desert Vipers defeated the Sharjah Warriorz in the DP World ILT20 Season 3 Qualifier 2 clash bowling exceptionally well and followed it up with a scintillating batting display to cruise to a seven-wicket win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Manchester United clawed back from a goal down to beat Leicester City in a 2-1 fourth-round FA Cup victory on Friday at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-gasp controversial header from veteran defender Harry Maguire plus a strike from Joshua Zirkzee.
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the "reprehensible and provocative statements" made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai will meet with a group of young humanitarians at a ceremony on February 23, as part of the Arab Hope Makers initiative.
The UAE Floating Hospital in Al-Arish has admitted around 30 patients from Gaza since the start of the ceasefire and the resumption of medical evacuations through the Rafah crossing, as part of the Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.