Jan Christen another young breakthrough for UAE Team Emirates: "The goal was to win already this year, before I turned 20"

UAE Team Emirates had complete numerical advantage today at the Giro d'Abruzzo and took advantage of it. After several attacks, Jan Christen managed to go up the road by himself and took his first pro win at 19 years of age.

“The goal was to win already this year, before I turned 20, and I did it. So yes, it's really special," the Swiss rider said in a post-race interview. "We had a good plan with the team and everything went well. The team had a good pace from the start of the climb and then it was my turn." After the team set a hard place in the final two ascents, Christen launched several attacks but up and downhill.

"Lutsenko closed the gap, then there were several attacks and we looked at each other and marked each other. Then I tried again downhill and managed to reach the finish line. I realized I could win two kilometers from the finish," he explained. With teammates covering the counter-attacks, his move in the flat terrain managed to grow a gap that was not to be closed ever again by the small chasing group. He had already proven his ability to win alongside the best at the Trofeo Laigueglia just over a month ago, but his first triumph as an Elite rider came this Wednesday.

However, he knows that the team's best option to win the overall classification is Adam Yates, and does not have too many hopes of retaining the leader's jersey tomorrow at Prati di Tivo. "With the team we said that today was my stage and there I did it and I'm really very happy. Tomorrow we will aim for the general classification with Adam and I hope I can return the favor."