Saudi Tour 2023 (January 30th - February 3rd)

[Devil's Elbow]

The start of sportswashing season and likely also the start of echelon season.

Startlist

The route

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Different finish than last year, according to the official site it’s 1.5k at 8.5% topping out at 1k to go. Note that, with Google, I get a shorter and shallower climb (1.1k at 6.8%) that ends with 700 metres to go, so take both numbers with a grain of salt.

Stage 4

Official climb profile:

Stage 5

Finish is 500 metres at 6% as per the official site.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

By the way, PCS has the finish of stage 3 as 700 metres at 6.9% with no flat at the end, that is certainly incorrect though.

 

[yaco]

I suspect the pure sprinters will struggle with stage 3 - It should be an interesting finale.

 

[search]

The Saudi Tour invested a bit more into the team presentation than the average 2.1 race, by the look of it.

 

[tobydawq]

The Saudi Tour invested a bit more into the team presentation than the average 2.1 race, by the look of it.

Colour me surprised.

 

[RedheadDane]

Meanwhile, the Saudi national team: Aljumah, Alabdulmunim, Al Ghamdi, Al Ibrahim, Al Marhoon, Alshaghab, and... Hashim, with no 'Al'!

 

[Samamba]

There have been 31 flat tyres in the first 3 hours of the race

Roads look like there was a war there recently.

EDIT: nvm it's like 35 now...

 

[Samamba]

So cars aren't behind the peloton because some random riders got distanced, but as a result everyone who gets a flat (like 1 every 5 minutes) can't come back anymore. Ackermann seems out of it now.

EDIT: Groenewegen flat now... (3rd time for him today).

 

[Salvarani]

They are riding through a desert where there is sand and rocks right besides it. It doesnt take much wind for it to land and be all over the road. Puncture galore.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They are riding through a desert where there is sand and rocks right besides it. It doesnt take much wind for it to land and be all over the road. Puncture galore.

The other desert races never have this many punctures, though - and bar Qatar, they all went through rocky terrain as well. This is in danger of becoming the road version of the Bièles CX Worlds, which I think nobody wants to see.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Meanwhile, the Saudi national team: Aljumah, Alabdulmunim, Al Ghamdi, Al Ibrahim, Al Marhoon, Alshaghab, and... Hashim, with no 'Al'!

These boys are competing over who gets a spot on Jayco or Movistar for 2024. My money's on Hani al-Marhoon.

 

[Samamba]

These roads lmao. How does the UCI let this happen.

 

[Salvarani]

Road looks horrific. Cracks all over.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

These roads lmao. How does the UCI let this happen.

$$$

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Way too easy for Groenewegen in this field. Hope the Bingoal rider is okay...

 

[Samamba]

Why is everyone riding like it's life or death

 

[Berniece]

Hope the Bingoal rider is okay...

He is, he waived to the camera when he was back on the bike

 

[Ricco']

Groenewegen
Rajovic
Walscheid
Oliveira

I think

 

[Squire]

What happened to DSM at the end? Van Uden with a puncture in the last km, or didn't have any legs at all?

 

[Blanco]

Rajovic 2nd, wow!

 

[Salvarani]

Some time gaps because of that crash.

Most likely it will be Guerriero vs Buitrago for the overall. Maybe Großschartner has a chance as well.

Edit: No time gaps now for the first 61 riders and a few others that were caught up in the crash.

 

[yaco]

I was surprised to see Stybar in Groenwegen's sprint train and he fitted in seamlessly. I didn't envisage this role for Stybar but he could be a valuable signing.

 

[Samamba]

What happened to DSM at the end? Van Uden with a puncture in the last km, or didn't have any legs at all?

No legs probably cause he still ended 11th.

I was surprised to see Stybar in Groenwegen's sprint train and he fitted in seamlessly. I didn't envisage this role for Stybar but he could be a valuable signing.

Huh? That's like the most logical thing to do with Stybar?

 

[Samamba]

Rajovic with a good sprint in the end but the whole peloton will hate him in a few months if he keeps riding like this. The amount of dangerous things he did in the last kilometers were not ok.

 

[SafeBet]

Was Milan involved in the crash? I see he got no time gap.
Was he working for Rajovic?