Despite UAE Team Emirates taking a stacked lineup to the 2024 Giro d'Abruzzo, they simply couldn't dislodge the imperious Alexey Lutsenko. Nevertheless, Pavel Sivakov managed to end the race on a high for the team with a stage win.
“The plan was to make it hard for Astana on the run-in and we managed to isolate Lutsenko which we did," the former INEOS Grenadiers man reflects in a post-stage interview with UAE Team Emirates' official website. "He was really strong though and it proved impossible to get rid of him as much as we tried."
On the final stage, Sivakov attacked early, drawing with him the race leader and rival for the podium, George Bennett. With the trio staying together until the final kilometre, Lutsenko was happy to let his companions fight for the stage and in the end, it was Sivakov who won that fight.
"I’m really happy with this first win of the season and in UAE colours. We came for the overall win but I think we can also be happy with two stage wins and the podium today," Sivakov concludes. "It’s been a good year for the team so far and we want to keep it going.”
🗣️ @PavelSivakov : “I’m really happy with this first win of the season and in UAE colours. We came for the overall win but I think we can also be happy with two stage wins and the podium today. ” 📝Full report: uaeteamemirates.com/sivakov-takes-… #WeAreUAE #IlGiroDAbruzzo
