Tour Down Under: Rüegg Claims Victory After UAE Team's Sprint Blunder

UAE Team-ADQ snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and handed the Santos Tour Down Under to Noemi Rüegg on Monday in a cringeworthy case of questionable tactics. Rüegg cruised to a “sprint” victory and successfully defended her GC title after UAE teammates Mavi García, Paula Blasi, and Dominika Włodarczyk failed to drop the Swisswoman in the closing Ks of the stage and then fumbled the finale. Rüegg, who races with EF Education-Oatly, was handed the final sprint, but she earned her right to be there. The 24-year-old patiently marked a series of half-hearted attacks by her three rivals after they galloped clear on the final climb of the Corkscrew Road. “I came over the second climb pretty well and found myself with the three UAE girls, and I played the game,” Rüegg said at the finish. “I knew they would attack me. The only chance I had was to follow immediately. “I knew I had a good sprint,” Rüegg continued. “They kind of did the lead out for me, which was good.” It was like Neilson Powless vs. Visma Lease a Bike at Dwars door Vlaanderen, all over again. “At the last 500 meters, we misunderstood each other,” a downbeat Blasi said after the stage. “We didn’t communicate that well, we tried to play our cards before the finish line.” That’s maybe an understatement. UAE-ADQ lick wounds after sprint shocker: ‘We need to learn’ Oh, to be a fly on the wall in the UAE-ADQ team bus as they picked apart their sprint shocker on Monday afternoon. It was a communication meltdown that will join Jayco-gate at Aussie nats as a contender for “meme of the month.” García was first to move in the final 500 meters and could be seen gesticulating at Blasi as her teammate drew level. When the 22-year-old didn’t pull through, García didn’t commit to the sprint. Meanwhile, Włodarczyk was cooked at the back of the group. Rüegg didn’t wait for UAE to figure out who would play “finisher.” The Swisswoman kicked through the middle and cruised across the line in disbelief. Speaking at the finish, Blasi couldn’t even be content with the best WorldTour GC placing of her young career and the QoM jersey. “It’s nice to have the jersey, but with the final, it’s hard to be happy. We can be happy with how strong we are, so for sure things will come in the future,” she said. “But for now we need to learn. “We need to see what happened, and try to learn.” UAE-ADQ will be racing for redemption on Wednesday when they line out for the Tour Down Under women’s one-day classic. Rüegg delivers season-opening WorldTour win to EF Education-Oatly Monday’s hilly third stage totally reshaped the GC of the Santos Tour Down Under. The position riders crossed the line in Campbelltown was echoed at the top of the overall classification. Rüegg overlooked a very disappointed-looking García and Blasi on the podium. UAE ADQ’s third wheel Włodarczyk was fourth. Rüegg’s victory Monday in the season’s WorldTour kick-starter gives EF Education-Oatly some crucial early momentum. “Honestly, I can’t believe it. I’m totally overwhelmed. We wanted to defend the title but it is always harder to defend,” Rüegg said. “My team was amazing, they believed in me more than I did.” Double stage-winner and overnight leader Ally Wollaston slid down the rankings after she was dropped in the explosive finale and its double ascent of the Corkscrew climb. The men’s Tour Down Under begins on Tuesday. Tour Down Under final results: