UAE Tour 2024, February 19-25

[Panda Claws]

Damn two MTF's and an ITT in my desert race? Blessed year.

 

[tobydawq]

Why did they kill off Hatta Dam?

Though, the sprinting field here is so good that the bunch sprints will be interesting enough.

Yet, DNP-Old will probably slam Bennett and accuse him of stealing money if he doesn't clean up the four flat stages.

 

[Salvarani]

Why did they kill off Hatta Dam?

Though, the sprinting field here is so good that the bunch sprints will be interesting enough.

Yet, DNP-Old will probably slam Bennett and accuse him of stealing money if he doesn't clean up the four flat stages.

Kooij will be the one cleaning up, I reckon.

 

[DNP-Old]

Why did they kill off Hatta Dam?

Though, the sprinting field here is so good that the bunch sprints will be interesting enough.

Yet, DNP-Old will probably slam Bennett and accuse him of stealing money if he doesn't clean up the four flat stages.

Damn right I will.

 

[Lequack]

 

[King Of The Wolds]

A.Yates could be vulnerable if riders like Plapp and Vine ride a good ITT - They can easily take 25 or 30 second in the ITT.

Vine's a teammate.

 

[Landeirovic]

So echelons tommorow?

 

[search]

So echelons tommorow?

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.

 

[Samamba]

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.

 

[search]

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).

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.

 

[Samamba]

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).

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.

 

[search]

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:

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

 

[DNP-Old]

So when are they going to include Khor Fakkan rather than the bunch sprint that is Jebel Jais?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

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:

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

Shame they don't finish there, would be a bit spicier than your average sprint finale without turning it into a puncheur stage.

 

[DNP-Old]

Early thoughts and prayers for Riccitello and August tomorrow. Neither have been proven to be great bike handlers and capable of fighting for position. AJ in particular is very prone to crashing in nervous situations.

 

[Samamba]

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:

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...

 

[hayneplane]

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.

 

[pelotonIQ]

Going with Tim Merlier on stage 1!

 

[armchairclimber]

I notice Plapp no longer in the startlist. Seems to be going to Paris Nice next.

 

[search]

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)

دبي الرياضية 1 | دبي الرياضية

أخبار كرة القدم، وعشرات، والجداول الزمنية، مباراة التعليق، احصائيات الفريق، ومواعيد المباريات، نتائج سلسلة، وأشرطة الفيديو، والمعارض وأكثر على دبي الرياضة.

www.dubaisports.ae

 

[Samamba]

Looks like its too much tailwind sadly. Maybe later they will be changing directions more, but not sure how sheltered 2nd part of the stage is.

 

[yaco]

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.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1759508563360194738

View: https://twitter.com/soudalquickstep/status/1759508563360194738?s=20

 

[tobydawq]

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.

Not true.

 

[Lequack]

The peloton doesn't want to race. That is the downside to every team having a designated sprinter, they will never try to race.