UAE Tour 2020, February 23- February 29

[Lequack]

The one and only world tour race in the Middle East. And the long awaited comeback race for Chris Froome! And if you haven't had enough of young Tadej Pogacar and Valverde, they're back for this race.
Also notable GC mentions are Adam Yates, Rafal Majka, Lutsenko, Wout Poels, and others. The starlist isn't yet final so some good names might popup during the week.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/uae-tour/2020/overview
https://www.theuaetour.com/

Live video stream available on Eurosport.

Full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/uae-tour/2020/gc/startlist

 

[Lequack]

Stage 1 » The Pointe › Dubai Silicon Oasis (148k)

Stage 2 » Hatta › Hatta Dam (168k)

Stage 3 » Al Qudra Cycle Track › Jebel Hafeet (184k)

Stage 4 » Zabeel Park › Dubai City Walk (173k)

Stage 5 » Al Ain › Jebel Hafeet (162k)

Stage 6 » Al Ruwais › Al Mirfa (158k)

Stage 7 » Al Maryah Island › Abu Dhabi Breakwater (127k)

 

[Lequack]

Some photos from last year. More photos here: http://www.steephill.tv/2019/uae-tour/photos/

 

[roundabout]

I liked the original route better, it's not like Jebel Hafeet has 2 sides to justify using it twice.

 

[Nirvana]

The original stage 3 was a pretty good hilly stage, replacing it with the same unipuerto used two days later is ridiculous, at least just put in again Jabel Jais like last year that is a slightly different type of climb and so we could avoid the déjà vu effect.

 

[Lequack]

It is a bit annoying yeah.

 

[Red Rick]

Only now notice it's literally the same damn climb.

WT race everyone.

 

[Lequack]

Route changes happened just recently:

UAE Tour adds second summit finish at Jebel Hafeet

Route changes caused by roadworks will see stages 3 and 5 finish atop the climb

www.cyclingnews.com

"The UAE Tour will visit the summit finish of Jebel Hafeet twice this year after organisers RCS Sport were forced to revamp the race route due to roadworks in the Gulf country. "

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

If i recall they couldn't use the Jabel Jais this year, because there are construction works being done and the climb or region is not accessible. That's why they used the other climb twice.

Also... Will De Plus go for GC? No Roglic or Dumoulin here.

 

[Red Rick]

If i recall they couldn't use the Jabel Jais this year, because there are construction works being done and the climb or region is not accessible. That's why they used the other climb twice.

Also... Will De Plus go for GC? No Roglic or Dumoulin here.

I'd assume so. Absolutely no other point for him being there.

 

[Lequack]

I am just looking forward to how Froome does. And if Valverde has recovered from Valencia.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Crist, what a useless parcours...Dreadful place. So lets see one of the fifty-five series hmm, I guess it'll be one of the series.....

 

[Pricey_sky]

I am just looking forward to how Froome does. And if Valverde has recovered from Valencia.

I don’t expect to see much of Froome, just racing miles back in the legs.

I think he will probably go back to his usual Tour build up and look to hit form for the Dauphine, providing he still has it after his injuries of course.

 

[geisterhome]

I love the field and the route, the same mountain finish in one tour, how often does this happen? Always excited to see smth unusual to unfold.

 

[kiszol]

I don't really mind Jebel Hafeet featuring twice. At the end of the day there is two great summit finishes which is better than one. For the GC it's hard to look past Pogacar I think.

The sprinter field will be amazing. Sprinters showing great early form such as Groenewegen, Gaviria, Bennett and Ewan will clash here. Some other big names are also starting: Ackermann, Demare, Cavendish...
Not to mention some outsiders: Barbier, Dainese.
Maybe this field will become even stronger as the final startlist is published.
Who do you think will shine?

 

[hayneplane]

The sprint stages at least are less of a bore than usual to the high calibre of the fast men competing.

De Plus should be fun to watch given a rare chance to lead the line and see whether some great Super Domestique climbing can translate to riding for his own glory.

Poels also getting to lead with Nibali over in Algarve and could be a podium contender.

Hard to look beyond Pogacar for the GC given how strong he was in Valencia and the fact his team is in its home race with it being an openly stated target for him.

 

[RedheadDane]

Poels also getting to lead with Nibali over in Algarve and could be a podium contender.

Huh? What do you mean by Poels "leading with" Nibali in Algarve? They're on different teams. And Bahrain isn't even doing Algarve… Did you mean Mollema?

 

[Lequack]

I don’t expect to see much of Froome, just racing miles back in the legs.

I think he will probably go back to his usual Tour build up and look to hit form for the Dauphine, providing he still has it after his injuries of course.

He might go all 2020 Quintana on us.

 

[hayneplane]

Huh? What do you mean by Poels "leading with" Nibali in Algarve? They're on different teams. And Bahrain isn't even doing Algarve… Did you mean Mollema?

yes totally slipped my mind that Nibali is at Trek now not Bahrain - McClaren.

Just change that to Poels having a team lead for a rare occasion in his career should be worth a watch.

 

[RedheadDane]

I suppose it was mostly unmentioned that Nibali was changing teams.

 

[Koronin]

I am just looking forward to how Froome does. And if Valverde has recovered from Valencia.

Basically on Valverde's interview after Murcia I don't expect anything from him at UAE. That interview had the body language of I'm only doing this interview because I have to. I don't think it has anything to do with "recovering" from Valencia. Something has changed with him this year.

 

[tobydawq]

Basically on Valverde's interview after Murcia I don't expect anything from him at UAE. That interview had the body language of I'm only doing this interview because I have to. I don't think it has anything to do with "recovering" from Valencia. Something has changed with him this year.

Something had changed with him last year as well, was all you wrote the entire spring.

 

[Koronin]

I have quite enjoyed Jebel Hafeet so far (of course, looking at who has won the past couple of years, that wouldn


Something had changed with him last year as well, was all you wrote the entire spring.

When he's doing interviews after his home race and his body language is fully, the only reason I'm doing this interview is because I have to. (Almost like Marshawn Lynch's media day, I'm only here so I don't get fined interviews). Something is off. Before the season he was talking about how motivated and excited he was and wouldn't say he's definitely retiring at the end of 2021 and then right after Mallorca he says next year it I'm done at the end of 2021. Then we get the 2nd climb stage at Valencia, and now an interview where it's obvious he didn't want to do the interview after his home race, with some of the local media whom he knows well and usually is very good with and instead is very short with.

By the way something was wrong last year and this year it's worse this year.

 

[geisterhome]

Buchmann was really strong at the Mallorca Challange, I saw his Watts numbers somewhere and it was somewhere around 6,8W/KG. So he could battle with Pogacar for the victory here.

 

[Lequack]

Buchmann was really strong at the Mallorca Challange, I saw his Watts numbers somewhere and it was somewhere around 6,8W/KG. So he could battle with Pogacar for the victory here.

Incidently apaprently Quintana did 6.8W/kg for half an hour in winning yesterdays Ventoux climb and smashing Pantani's long standing record.