<p>Slovenia's Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar won cycling's season-opening UAE Tour as Australian Caleb Ewan claimed Saturday's seventh stage sprinting honours in Abu Dhabi.</p>.<p>The 22-year-old Pogacar dominated the race to turn the tables on Briton Adam Yates, who had edged the Slovenian in last year's coronavirus-curtailed edition of the World Tour event.</p>.<p>Pogacar took command of the general classification in Monday's time-trial, then won Tuesday's summit finish stage and carefully managed his lead in Thursday's second summit finish.</p>.<p>"This is really big," said Pogacar who gave his UAE state-sponsored team a second success in their home race, four years after it was won by Portugal's Rui Costa.</p>.<p>"It was my first goal of the season and my first home race, so it was really important and I'm super happy...This is one of our best achievements."</p>.<p>In the closing stage, Team Ineos' Yates fell 40 kilometres from the line, but climbed back on his bike to rejoin the peloton.</p>.<p>Up front, Lotto rider Ewan pounced and passed Sam Bennett in the shadow of the finish to deny the Irishman a third stage win this week.</p>.<p>"We came here to win a stage and there was only one more left to take," said Ewan, who had claimed his first win of the season.</p>.<p>"It was a bit of a relief when I crossed the line. I haven't been this far into the year without a win in my whole career."</p>
<p>Slovenia's Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar won cycling's season-opening UAE Tour as Australian Caleb Ewan claimed Saturday's seventh stage sprinting honours in Abu Dhabi.</p>.<p>The 22-year-old Pogacar dominated the race to turn the tables on Briton Adam Yates, who had edged the Slovenian in last year's coronavirus-curtailed edition of the World Tour event.</p>.<p>Pogacar took command of the general classification in Monday's time-trial, then won Tuesday's summit finish stage and carefully managed his lead in Thursday's second summit finish.</p>.<p>"This is really big," said Pogacar who gave his UAE state-sponsored team a second success in their home race, four years after it was won by Portugal's Rui Costa.</p>.<p>"It was my first goal of the season and my first home race, so it was really important and I'm super happy...This is one of our best achievements."</p>.<p>In the closing stage, Team Ineos' Yates fell 40 kilometres from the line, but climbed back on his bike to rejoin the peloton.</p>.<p>Up front, Lotto rider Ewan pounced and passed Sam Bennett in the shadow of the finish to deny the Irishman a third stage win this week.</p>.<p>"We came here to win a stage and there was only one more left to take," said Ewan, who had claimed his first win of the season.</p>.<p>"It was a bit of a relief when I crossed the line. I haven't been this far into the year without a win in my whole career."</p>