Italian rider Jonathan Milan claimed victory in a chaotic sprint finish to win the opening stage of the UAE Tour on Monday, upstaging Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar.

The Slovenian, resplendent in his world champion's rainbow jersey, launched his sprint 350 meters from the finish but ran out of steam before the line, settling for 10th place.

Pogacar’s Sprint Strategy Goes Awry

"It was supposed to be a lead-out for our sprinter, but he crashed out, so I was kind of stuck in the lead-out idea," Pogacar later explained.

Milan was initially followed home by Jasper Philipsen, but the Belgian was demoted to 52nd for impeding Finn Fisher-Black, who inherited second place. Denmark’s Tobias Lund Andresen completed the podium in third.

Signs Of Strong Form From Pogacar

Pogacar displayed plenty of attacking intent throughout the 138km ride from Madinat Zayed to Liwa, reinforcing his status as the man to beat ahead of Sunday’s time-trial conclusion.

The Slovenian is aiming for a third UAE Tour victory after wins in 2021 and 2022.

Milan Celebrates Hard-Fought Victory

"I feel brutally tired after this sprint. The warmth and the last 700 meters made it really tough, more than I was expecting. It was a pretty intense day," Milan said.

"I must thank my guys. They controlled, supported me, and led me to the final stretch. I'm super happy with this victory—it was so hard!" added the 24-year-old Lidl-Trek rider.

Pogacar Looks Ahead To Time Trial

Pogacar is eager to test his fitness in Tuesday’s second stage, a 12km individual time trial on Al Hudayriyat Island.

"It's going to be the first real effort of the season. There was a lot of work done this winter, and I hope it pays off tomorrow," Pogacar said.