On the flat roads in and around Dubai, three riders formed the day's breakaway. The trio claimed a four-minute lead but could not avoid a bunch sprint.

In the closing stages, Team Jumbo-Visma did everything it could to put Kooij in the best possible position, and it paid off. The 21-year-old sprinter found a gap on the left side of the road and pulled hard. For a brief moment, it looked as if the Dutchman had secured his first win of the season, but Molano pushed his wheel over the line a little earlier than Kooij.

"It was very close", Kooij said. "I knew that Sam Welsford was attacking on the right, but I didn't know that Sebastian was there too. Looking at my sprint, I don't think I made any mistakes. It's unfortunate to lose by such a small margin, but I can't blame anyone. The team did a good job and positioned me perfectly. Now I’m in the lead of the Points Classification and I hope to defend it until the end of the race."

"The difference between disappointment and euphoria can be huge", sports director Maarten Wynants. "It's unfortunate, but there's little you can do about it. Olav rode a very good sprint and should be happy with his level. We may not have the best lead-out here, but the guys prepared the sprint well. Hopefully better next time."