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UAE Tour 2024, February 19-25

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Not true.

It is true - If the race splits in crosswinds with say 100kms to go and the second peleton continues to chase, then the backs off. Even in the 2023 edition of the UAE Tour which split up in one of the stages and influenced the GC result, the race split early in the stage, came back together and the final split occurred with around 30kms to go. Of course in one day races different rules apply.
 
It is true - If the race splits in crosswinds with say 100kms to go and the second peleton continues to chase, then the backs off. Even in the 2023 edition of the UAE Tour which split up in one of the stages and influenced the GC result, the race split early in the stage, came back together and the final split occurred with around 30kms to go. Of course in one day races different rules apply.
There are lots of examples that you make the splits when there's crosswinds, even if it's early in the stage. UAE Tour 23 and 21, a lot of times in Paris-Nice, Vuelta 19, Tour of Qatar when that was a thing.

Of course regroupings are possible but that was hardly what you wrote initially...
 
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It is true - If the race splits in crosswinds with say 100kms to go and the second peleton continues to chase, then the backs off. Even in the 2023 edition of the UAE Tour which split up in one of the stages and influenced the GC result, the race split early in the stage, came back together and the final split occurred with around 30kms to go. Of course in one day races different rules apply.
That's not what you said though. You said:
They don't usually go hard with crosswinds in a stage race unless its in the last 30 to 50 kms. Its very rare for teams to break it up early in a stage and keep the momentum going.
It really isn't rare for the peloton to go hard from the start if the wind is strong and the wind direction is perfect.

They then sometimes lose the momentum when wind directions change, not because the gaps stay small.

Those Tour of Qatar's back in the day were brilliant with Quick-Step/Boonen drilling it from start to finish.
 
That's not what you said though. You said:

It really isn't rare for the peloton to go hard from the start if the wind is strong and the wind direction is perfect.

They then sometimes lose the momentum when wind directions change, not because the gaps stay small.

Those Tour of Qatar's back in the day were brilliant with Quick-Step/Boonen drilling it from start to finish.

Supposedly the Tour of Qatar is returning to the calendar in 2025 - I am unsure where it will fit into the calendar.
 
I really don't know how this race can be WT. Probably just money.
I actually think the WT status is killing the race, because all the big teams come with their sprinters and kill the racing. If it was a lower tier race with lesser teams, I am sure there would be more racing.
 
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