"I wouldn't want to do that one again" - Sam Welsford on a 'crazy' opening to the 2024 UAE Tour

Sam Welsford started his 2024 season in electric form at the Tour Down Under. Whilst he wasn't quite at the same level on the opening stage of the UAE Tour on Monday, a 5th placed finish marks a solid performance.

"The first day of the UAE Tour is always going to be bloody crazy and that loop we did out there was pretty nuts," Welsford said after the stage to GCN. "I wouldn't want to do that one again in that bunch. There were almost 100 near-crashes and then there were crashes, so it was a little bit crazy."

Tim Merlier was the man who took the win in the end, with Welsford having to settle 5th place. "I think we probably went a little bit too early and got caught out before the last corner," he explains.

"Unfortunately, the first day we got here I was out training and I hit a big speed bump, maybe my hands were sweaty and I lost both my hands and hit the deck," revealed the Australian, making his fifth place even more commendable. "I'm alright, it's just a bit of skin lost and off the finger, but we'll be alright."

After an individual time-trial on stage 2 and a summit finish on stage 3, Welsford and his fellow sprinters get another chance on stage 4.