Plapp and Evenepoel share overall lead as UAE Tour 2023 heads to the mountains

Soudal-Quick-Step followed up their rider Tim Merlier’s victory in stage one with success in the team time trial on day two of the UAE Tour at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

The Belgian squad was the last team out of the start ramp on the 17.3-kilometre course and they finished on top by edging past EF Education-EasyPost by a second. Ineos Grenadiers was a further two seconds back in third.

Sharing the general classification lead was Luke Plapp of Ineos Grenadiers and Soudal-Quick-Step’s world champion Remco Evenepoel with the same timing, but the former will wear the leader’s red jersey on Wednesday’s stage three.

Stage 2:1. Soudal–Quick-Step - 18’11”2. EF Education – EasyPost - 1"3. Ineos Grenadiers - 3"General classification:1. Lucas Plapp (AUS) Ineos Grenadiers2. Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal–Quick-Step - ST3. Nikias Arndt (GER) Bahrain Victorious - 3"

Nikias Arndt of Bahrain Victorious was third overall.

EF Education-EasyPost squad’s agonising wait for most of the afternoon ended in heartbreak when Soudal-Quick-Step produced the quickest time of the day.

“I didn't realise I'd taken the red Jersey until they read out the results – it was such a close stage,” said Plapp, 22, who now holds the red, white (young rider classification) and black (intermediate sprint) jerseys.

“Team time trials are my favourite discipline in cycling and people don't realise how exciting they can be. It's awesome to be in the red jersey and as a team; we're in a really good spot now coming into the next stages.”

Plapp was full of praise for the performance of his team that included Josh Tarling, 19, and veteran Cameron Wurf, who is also a triathlete.

“The 19-year-old is strongest guy on our team here, I think,” Plapp said. “It's a