Abu Dhabi: The organisers of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour can finally breathe a sigh of relief and focus on some pulsating cycling action between Thursday and Sunday, rather than the crisis engulfing one of the sport’s biggest names.
The incessant saga of Sir Bradley Wiggins’ controversial use of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) for a banned substance had threatened to cast a shadow over the second edition of the extravaganza.
But the five-time Olympic champion pulled out of the four-stage, 555-kilometre event last week, which was perhaps a blessing for organisers RCS Sport given the unwanted distraction his presence might have caused.
STAGE 1. THE ADNOC STAGE:
Thursday, Madinat Zayed to Madinat Zayed, 1.15pm (147km)
The first stage runs entirely into the desert, with the first and last parts of about 45 kilometres on straight, wide roads. Once in Liwa (first Intermediate Sprint), the riders will find a short circuit characterised by constant undulations over dunes, adding up to a significant total elevation. After a second passage in Liwa (second Intermediate Sprint), the second part of the stage will bring the riders to Madinat Zayed, where, after one pass of the finish line, a final 14.5km circuit will conclude the stage.
And the quality of the field in the 18-team race, which is being staged in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council for the second year in a row following its October 2015 debut, remains considerable without the under-fire Briton.
The official Abu Dhabi Tour ambassador, Mark Cavendish, is determined to continue his annus mirabilis with glory in an event he missed last year due to a shoulder injury.
Last weekend, the 31-year-old finished second at the Road World Championship in Doha after earlier in the year winning four stages of the Tour de France, the madison track world title with Wiggins and his first Olympic medal, with silver in the omnium.
The soft-spoken Cavendish declined to comment on the furore surrounding Wiggins yesterday, but was more than happy to discuss his own illustrious achievements.
“It’s been a great year,” Cavendish told media at the pre-race press conference at the St Regis Hotel on the Abu Dhabi Corniche on reflecting on his remarkable year. “I’ve had pressure in every race I’ve gone into, but fulfilled most of my objectives.
STAGE 2. THE NATION TOWER STAGE:
Friday, Abu Dhabi to Abu Dhabi (Al Marina), 2.10pm (115km)
The second stage is mostly in the city. After the start the peloton will travel on wide roads towards the Grand Mosque, and then towards Yas Island with a passage through Khalifa Island (where there are several roundabouts and speed humps). At Yas Island (first Intermediate Sprint) the race goes to Shaikh Khalifa Highway towards the Corniche of Abu Dhabi. It follows a passage within Reem Island — including the second Intermediate Sprint — then the race returns to the Corniche and to the finish line. The entire route is on wide boulevards with road furniture constantly dividing the lanes.
I came up short at the Olympics, but ultimately everything I set out to do, I achieved, so I’m pretty happy.”
Cavendish is not purely focused on personal success, however, and is inspired by the broader vision of the team he rides for, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka.
It’s the only pro cycling team from Africa racing on the circuit and one with a philanthropic ethos.
A #BicyclesChangeLives campaign launched in partnership with the Qhubeka charity is close to its target of providing 5,000 bicycles to schoolchildren through the continent.
In the last two years, the charity has donated 65,000 bikes to schools in South Africa, with the dual aims of keeping schoolchildren in school and developing African cycling talent.
“What the charity is doing is a pretty special thing and it’s something I can relate to,” Cavendish said. “To see it first-hand is really inspiring.”
Seven-time winner
In attendance alongside the Manxman were Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali (Italy); seven-time overall Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador (Spain); the duo of puncheurs John Degenkolb (Germany) and Michael Matthews (Australia); sprinter André Greipel (Germany); Rio 2016 gold medallists Elia Viviani (Omnium) from Italy and Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet (Individual Road Race); Costa Rican rider Andrey Amador; and local hero Yousuf Mirza, the highest profile rider in the UAE.
Nibali, 31, nicknamed “The Shark”, was already one of the six riders who won all three Grand Tours (France, Italy, Spain) in the history of cycling before he won the Giro d’Italia once again this year, as well as the Tour of Oman.
STAGE 3. THE STRATA STAGE:
Saturday, Al Ain to Jebel Hafeet, 1.10pm (150km)
The third stage comprises both urban surroundings and mountains. The first part inside the city of Al Ain, all on wide roads with roundabouts and speed humps, is followed by a second part in the desert along wide and predominantly straight roads. At 15km to go, the route starts to rise slightly towards the final ascent, culminating in an uphill finish at an altitude of 1025 metres, following an 11km climb with slopes that reach 11%.
Nibali said: “Abu Dhabi is a fantastic location with a great hotel to host us. This is only my third race after my accident at the Olympics, following the Tre Valli Varesine and the Tour of Almaty. I’m looking to regain good race condition.”
With seven overall Grand Tour victories (Tour de France 2007 and 2009, Giro d’Italia 2008 and 2015, Vuelta a Espana 2008, 2012 and 2014), Contador, 33, is a legend in his own lifetime. He won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and the Vuelta a Burgos this year.
Contador said: “I’m happy to be here at the Abu Dhabi Tour as our team is motivated for the flat stages and possibly for the mountain with [my teammate] Jesper [Hansen].”
In terms of the course, the structure is largely similar to last year, with three sprint stages and one medium mountain climb.
All four locations remain identical, with the first taking place in the deserts around Madinat Zayed; the second in Abu Dhabi itself; the third in Al Ain and finishing at Jebel Hafeet; and the fourth and final one being an evening sprint at Yas Marina Circuit.
The jersey colours are unchanged from those in 2015 and combined form the colours of the UAE flag: the red jersey for the general classification leader, green for the points classification leader, black for the intermediate sprints winners and white for the best young rider.
STAGE 4. THE YAS ISLAND STAGE:
Sunday, Yas Marina Circuit (26 laps), 5pm (143km)
The final stage takes place entirely on the F1 Yas Island circuit. There are 26 laps, each of 5.5km with three Intermediate Sprints as we count down to the finale. The first intermediate sprint is at lap 11, with 15 laps to go; the second at 10 laps to go and the last Intermediate Sprints with just five laps to go. Last year during the Yas Stage, for the first time ever in a men’s professional road race, live on-board bike camera footage was made available and used for live television race coverage.
Meanwhile, cycling aficionados can enjoy a FanZone to complement the delights of the cycling showpiece.
Located at the Nation Towers complex in Abu Dhabi, the FanZone will be open every day, until October 24, yesterday to Sunday from 12pm to 8pm and today to Saturday from 12pm to 11pm.
Dedicated to children
Activities include an area dedicated to children at Nation Towers Galleria, where hourlong bike classes will be held on October 21 and 22 from 4pm to 8pm.
This educational activity is to familiarise students with the history of the bicycle, the benefits of cycling and safety on the road.
Fans can also visit the Abu Dhabi Tour’s sponsors’ booths and the official information point, with the opportunity to have their photograph taken with the Abu Dhabi Tour trophy.
The immersive cycling atmosphere will be perfect for children and adults, organisers say, with special events to be revealed day by day.
