Dubai: Ryan Gibbons came within inches of taking UAE Team Emirates’ second victory in as many days at the Trofeo Alcudia (173.2km), but was marginally edged out by Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) in a hotly contested bunch sprint on Thursday.
After Brandon McNulty scored the team’s first season victory on Wednesday with a sensational solo performance, the spirits were high in the squad with the possibility of a sprint finish looming at the end of the day’s undulating terrain.
Gibbons came to the line with a select group of powerful riders and showed good sprinting form in a chaotic finale to take the runner-up spot, with UAE Team Emirates’ Pascal Ackermann finishing closely behind in 8th position.
“The original plan today was to ride for Ackermann but in the end the final corner with 700m to go was quite a bit sharper and narrower than we had anticipated and things changed. As we approached that final corner we got caught a bit out of position and he was boxed in and I had an open road so I tried to salvage something. I came a bit too fast, too late but stagehappy to get second place. Yesterday the team was phenomenal with 1st and 2nd and we’re very confident for the next three races here in Mallorca,” Gibbons said later.
Team UAE Emirates’ Mallorca Challenge continues on Friday with the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana (158.9km).
Results
1. Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) 3:50:48
2. Ryan Gibbons (UAE Team Emirates) s.t
3. Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel Start Up Nation) s.t
