UAE-Team Emirates as new benchmark in time trialing? "A lot of time and effort invested in set-up"

With McNulty and Vine claiming the top two spots in the time trial, the team immediately showcased the prowess of its climbers, while team leader Adam Yates conceded 28 seconds to the American powerhouse. McNulty commented on the team's meticulous preparation, stating, "The team put a lot of time and effort into the set-up, so it's paying off now."

Reflecting on his recent achievements, McNulty expressed satisfaction, stating, "It's been a good month for myself." He highlighted his victory in the final classification of the Tour of Valencia in early February, adding, "With that win, my first overall victory in years, and now this WorldTour time trial, things are going well."

Still, McNulty does not want to get ahead of himself in this UAE Tour. "Wednesday's stage is tough, and so is Jebel Hafeet. As a team, we are in good shape, with Adam Yates as well. He is still one of the best in the world on climbs like Jebel Hafeet." Wednesday's stage first follows the route to Jebel Jais, a climb of almost twenty kilometers.

Regarding his early start in the time trial, McNulty explained, "We looked at the wind and saw that it might pick up during the time trial. For that reason, we decided to position our better time trialists at the front and send them off first. That decision did pay off, as we can see now."