Ben Swift has 'mad rush home' from Abu Dhabi Tour for birth of first child

Ben Swift at the 2017 Tour Down Under

(Image credit: Graham Watson)

published 26 February 2017

Ben Swift had to leave the Abu Dhabi Tour on Saturday as his partner gave birth to their first child

Swift finished the queen stage of the race to Jebel Hafeet yesterday but was taken to the airport to fly back to his home that evening to attend the birth of his first child, a son.

A spokesperson for UAE Team Emirates said: “After the stage he received a call that said 'I’m going to the hospital because my waters have broken'. The team, of course, said go home this is something much more important than a bike race.

“He flew back home and we are happy for such kind of events.”

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A photo posted by on

He added that Swift is not expected to miss Paris-Nice, which starts on Sunday March 5, or Milan-San Remo on March 18.

Swift himself posted on Instagram: "What a day. A mad rush home from Abu Dhabi to meet my little man. Happy to report mother and baby are doing great."

Swift placed second on the race last year, and it represents his best opportunity to win a Monument.

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Having trained as a journalist at Cardiff University I spent eight years working as a business journalist covering everything from social care, to construction to the legal profession and riding my bike at the weekends and evenings. When a friend told me Cycling Weekly was looking for a news editor, I didn't give myself much chance of landing the role, but I did and joined the publication in 2016. Since then I've covered Tours de France, World Championships, hour records, spring classics and races in the Middle East. On top of that, since becoming features editor in 2017 I've also been lucky enough to get myself sent to ride my bike for magazine pieces in Portugal and across the UK. They've all been fun but I have an enduring passion for covering the national track championships. It might not be the most glamorous but it's got a real community feeling to it.