UAE Tour 2021, February 21 - February 27

[johnymax]

This race would be perfect for Sosa if there was no 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th an 7th stage. If he and A. Yates both ride this, INEOS will still have a strong 1-2 punch on both MTFs.

 

[RedheadDane]

This race would be perfect for Sosa if there was no 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th an 7th stage. If he and A. Yates both ride this, INEOS will still have a strong 1-2 punch on both MTFs.

It would be perfect for him... if it was a completely different race?

 

[johnymax]

It would be perfect for him... if it was a completely different race?

No, just if there was no 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th an 7th stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

No, just if there was no 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th an 7th stage.

Gotta love those week-long stage races consisting of only two stages!

 

[Nirvana]

Sheikh Alejandro. Riding in his final season only on home soil.

Every year she tells us that there is no way he's going in UAE and every year he goes in UAE.

 

[RedheadDane]

Okay, okay! I need to have a very serious discussion with the organisers regarding their decision to place to most important stages on weekdays! We are some here who actually... work!

 

[SafeBet]

Okay, okay! I need to have a very serious discussion with the organisers regarding their decision to place to most important stages on weekdays! We are some here who actually... work!

I thought posting on this forum was our job.

 

[BlueRoads]

And this is becoming a mini-TdF, what a start-list. I guess everyone wants to go to a tour which is sure to happen and in some nice weather as well.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

And this is becoming a mini-TdF, what a start-list. I guess everyone wants to go to a tour which is sure to happen and in some nice weather as well.

If this type of parcours was announced for a Tour de France, Red Rick would legitimately nuke the forum.

 

[Oliver]

This race would be perfect for Sosa if there was no 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th an 7th stage. If he and A. Yates both ride this, INEOS will still have a strong 1-2 punch on both MTFs.

There's also Martinez... I think it suits him more.

 

[Earns1985]

There's also Martinez... I think it suits him more.

According to PCS Sosa will not ride.

INEOS Grenadiers

• 11 YATES Adam
• 12 AMADOR Andrey
• 13 CASTROVIEJO Jonathan
• 14 GANNA Filippo
• 15 GOŁAŚ Michał
• 16 MARTÍNEZ Daniel Felipe
• 17 RIVERA Brandon Smith

 

[pink_jersey]

Adam Yates is usually very good in the first races of the year so I have him as the favourite but I'm really curious about what UAE will do. I hope Majka is going all in for Pogi. Valverde to round out the podium.

 

[Lequack]

Poels has also shown good form on Mount Vontoux the previous week.

 

[Earns1985]

For GC I see
Yates, Martinez, Pogacar, Buchmann, Almeida, Nibali, Poels, Haig, Higuita, Uran, Kuss, Almeida
I am also curious in which form Froome will start.

For the sprints the field is even more exclusive: Gaviria, Philipsen, Bauhaus, Viviani, Ackermann, Ewan, Bol, Moschetti, Nizzolo, Bennett, Greipel. So more or less everybody with a name..

 

[Lequack]

March Hirschi was scheduled to ride this but now they've decided he'll ride the early classics. He is starting in his new UAE team colors.

 

[Earns1985]

March Hirschi was scheduled to ride this but now they've decided he'll ride the early classics. He is starting in his new UAE team colors.

Yes, but even without Hirschi Pogacar has a real good team here. Formolo and Majka can give Pogacar real good support. Because it´s their home tour, UAE really want to win this, I think.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

For GC I see
Yates, Martinez, Pogacar, Buchmann, Almeida, Nibali, Poels, Haig, Higuita, Uran, Kuss, Almeida
I am also curious in which form Froome will start.

For the sprints the field is even more exclusive: Gaviria, Philipsen, Bauhaus, Viviani, Ackermann, Ewan, Bol, Moschetti, Nizzolo, Bennett, Greipel. So more or less everybody with a name..

Quite possibly the best sprint field we will see all year. Even the Tour rarely gets such a complete collection. Only Demare is missing, aside from the Dutch guys who obviously aren’t currently riding. It’s a pity that this battle royale will be dominated by the first race of the season form randomiser.

 

[BlueRoads]

Okay, I made a short list of my favourites for a top5:

Pogacar
Yates
Martinez
Poels
Almeida
Higuita
Buchmann

and left out guys like Lutsenko, Nibali, Valverde, Kuss and Uran.

 

[tobydawq]

Okay, I made a short list of my favourites for a top5:

Pogacar
Yates
Martinez
Poels
Almeida
Higuita
Buchmann

and left out guys like Lutsenko, Nibali, Valverde, Kuss and Uran.

Higuita has something to prove after the post-break part of last year.

 

[Lequack]

Some beauty shots

Am I dreaming or do the heads in the Jumbo Visma poster look weird, like someone scaled them

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Higuita has something to prove after the post-break part of last year.

He sure does, but to be fair, didn't he crash in both Dauphine and the Tour, practically destroying his season? I'm curious how he'll do this year in general. I find him very hard to rate.

 

[tobydawq]

He sure does, but to be fair, didn't he crash in both Dauphine and the Tour, practically destroying his season? I'm curious how he'll do this year in general. I find him very hard to rate.

Yes, he did. I thought he could become an absolute superstar before last season but am a bit more hesitant currently.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Yes, he did. I thought he could become an absolute superstar before last season but am a bit more hesitant currently.

Same here exactly. I'm not too sure that he'll be as good as he was hyped up to become before last season. He was pretty good at the beginning of last season, so perhaps UAE Tour will give us the first indications as to what to expect this season.

 

[BlueRoads]

Oh I overlooked Sosa!

 

[tobydawq]

Oh I overlooked Sosa!

And Meintjes!