Tadej Pogacar produced a stunning final sprint on the top of Jebel Hafeet to win the fifth stage of the UAE Tour on Thursday.
Pogacar dived up the outside of Lutsenko on the line, with his rival left red-faced after celebrating a fraction too early.
Adam Yates finished third to retain the leader’s jersey, now sitting 1min 01sec ahead of Pogacar in the overall standings, with Lutsenko a further 32sec adrift.
A game of cat-and-mouse unfolded between the GC’s riders on the final climb, with hesitancy from Yates and Pogacar inviting Lutsenko, David Gauda (Groupama – FDJ) and Ilnur Zakarin (CCC) back into the front group.
Lutsenko looked set to win the five-way sprint but he lifted a hand off the handlebar moments before the line, allowing Pogacar to swoop in.
Chris Froome (Team Ineos) was again distanced by the front pack as he continues his rehabilitation from an eight-month injury lay-off.
"What was he looking at?!" ?
Alexey Lutsenko celebrates at the finish line, but he didn't win the stage
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??? Eurosport Player: https://t.co/0Fa7uXMVB9 pic.twitter.com/qjXvxeJder— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) February 27, 2020
UAE Tour 2020 – stage 5 results (Al Ain – Jebel Hafeet):
| 1 | Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) | 3:48:53 |
| 2 | Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) | ,, |
| 3 | Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) | ,, |
| 4 | David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) | +04” |
| 5 | Ilnur Zakarin (CCC) | +07” |
| 6 | Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates) | +23” |
| 7 | Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) | ,, |
| 8 | Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) | +24” |
| 9 | Victor de la Parte (CCC) | ,, |
| 10 | Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe) | +27” |
UAE Tour 2020 – general classification after stage 5:
| 1 | Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) | 20:35:04 |
| 2 | Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) | +01’01” |
| 3 | Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) | +01’33” |
| 4 | David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) | +01’48” |
| 5 | Rafal Majka (Bora-hansgrohe) | +02’11” |
| 6 | Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) | +02’34” |
| 7 | Ilnur Zakarin (CCC) | ,, |
| 8 | Davide Formolo (UAE Team Emirates) | +02’39” |
| 9 | Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) | +02’47” |
| 10 | Victor de la Parte (CCC) | +02’51” |
