Chris Froome (Team Ineos) made his long-awaited comeback in the UAE Tour after an injury forced him out of the race for eight months, finishing safely in the pack as sprinter Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) won stage one.

Ackermann received flowers and was cheered on by a modest crowd of fans at the finish, while outside the Team Ineos van, Froome held his own celebration.

Clearly emotional, with his brother pulling him along and congratulations from his former teammates and Wout Poels, who was with him when he crashed at last year's Dauphiné, Froome said that despite being away from pro cycling for so long, finishing in the pack itself was a big He admitted that despite being away from professional cycling for such a long time, finishing in the group felt like a big victory in itself.

"It feels good. It feels great to be back in the pack, and a lot of guys came up to me and said it was good to see me back," he told Cycling News and a small group of other media.

"It's been a long time since I've been able to come back and prove that it's possible. It still takes a while to get back to the level I was at before, but I had a great first feeling. It feels good to put on the number, to be elbow to elbow again, to be in the pack. I feel like a bike racer again. [Honestly, I was really excited this morning. It felt like being back in the neo-pro. It's only been eight months, but it felt a lot longer."

Much of the last few months has been dominated by the debate over whether Froome can return to the pinnacle of the sport. In his absence, a younger generation has emerged, and even without injuries, Froome is approaching 35 years old.

But the fifth Tour win and all the questions that come with it may be put to one side for just a short while. And while the flat sprint stages of the UAE Tour are of little importance to Froome, at least today was a moment of great joy for the four-time winner. He was clearly elated and relieved, saying.

When asked to put today's result in the context of the victories he has accumulated, he replied: "It's a big victory to be on the start line and in the group, two or three months ago I could barely walk. A couple of months ago I could barely walk, I had a limp, so to be back racing at the World Tour level is a big victory in itself.

There is no doubt that there will be more tough days ahead, not only here in the UAE, but as Froome returns to racing and continues his rehabilitation and recovery.

He still has issues with his right leg being weak and his left side overcompensating for the imbalance. In a flat race, he might be able to come up for air in the last few kilometers, but in a mountain race, he will face a tough challenge.

But for now, this was a saving moment for him and his team.

"I know my condition. But I'll get through the race and do what I can for the team. Like I said, it's my first race in eight months and I can't expect too much. Just being here is a big win for me."