Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka of CANYON//SRAM Racing won the intermediate sprint classification and her first World Tour jersey after the final stage of the UAE Tour Women in Abu Dhabi. Teammates Elise Chabbey and Soraya Paladin finished the four-day Women’s World Tour with an impressive fifth and seventh respectively in the general classification, to conclude a successful Tour for the team.
Skalniak-Sójka took the lead in the intermediate sprint classification after the second stage, extending that lead in the queen stage the following day. An early breakaway on the final stage on February 12th took the remaining points on offer, meaning Skalniak-Sójka and her teammates could give full focus to the lead out for Sarah Roy in the final.
The pace increased as the breakaway was caught with twenty kilometres to go and one final crosswind section, which had become a recurring theme of the UAE Women Tour, quickly split the peloton. It wasn’t long before the riders came back together for a bunch sprint into Abu Dhabi Breakwater. In the final, Roy sprinted to eighth behind stage winner Charlotte Kool (DSM). Elisa Longo Borghini (TFS) took home the GC leader’s jersey.
Skalniak-Sójka said, “I’m very happy to win this jersey for the team. We still don’t know each other well, but we rode as a team all week and that’s a nice feeling, knowing that we can still improve. Our main aim was the GC and the bunch sprints. This jersey is a bonus. It’s my first World Tour jersey, so it’s quite special. I’m also happy that we could help Elise and Soraya finish high on the GC. It’s a nice start to the season.”
Teammate Elise Chabbey concluded, “I’m pleased with my shape for this first race of the season. It feels really good to race with the team and we’re motivated for the spring classics.”
