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UAE Tour 2024, February 19-25

Page 2 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
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Normally there should be, yeah. But the circuit in the end may kill a bit of the action. The final ~20k are mostly into a headwind.

But who knows... the damage may already be done at that point. All of the first 90k are tail/cross-tail at 25kph.

20km isn't that much if it's carnage from the start, which it will be.
I also see way more cross than tail in the first 90km, and up to 30kph. Completely open roads, They'll have to watch out or there will be echelons in neutral.
 
I also see way more cross than tail in the first 90km, and up to 30kph
this is what windy.com shows me for the starting time: (for everyone not familiar with the course: start is in the north, finish around Liwa, after going to the very south and back).

mYL2o5a.png


so yeah, around 30 kph at that point indeed, but I'd still think more tail, going by that.

But no matter what, it will be super nervous anyway, and likely blow apart rather early than late, yep. I doubt anyone will still need to worry about Vine after the stage.
 
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this is what windy.com shows me for the starting time: (for everyone not familiar with the course: start is in the north, finish around Liwa, after going to the very south and back).

mYL2o5a.png


so yeah, around 30 kph at that point indeed, but I'd still think more tail, going by that.

But no matter what, it will be super nervous anyway, and likely blow apart rather early than late, yep. I doubt anyone will still need to worry about Vine after the stage.

Interesting, it is borderline between cross and tail indeed. I mean technically you want the perfect mix for echelons but it might too much tail. We'll see. There will definitely be splits and crashes sadly.
 
A new addition this year are the two laps on the 18.1km-long Moreeb Dune cycle path, in the very south of the stage:

GbmqebX.png

Mb8nvUL.png

from the exit of it, there are 25k to go to the finish.

It's interesting cause the roads there are significantly less wide than the typical desert roads. Also apparently sand on the roads is pretty normal there when there's a lot of wind soo euhm...
 
Sprint field is good but the GC field looks like the weakest it has ever been for this race. Hard to see anyone taking enough time in the TT who can defend it well enough to make Adam Yates dig that deep to take the GC on the final stage.

The expected wind on day 1 could be the wildcard factor.
 
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The wind is blowing nicely at the start. There's live coverage already on Dubai Sports TV: (Eurosport/Discovery+ will join in in 1 1/2 hours)

 
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