UAE Tour 2026, February 16-22

[Salvarani]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

Pray.

 

[KoopaCycling]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

surprise?

 

[Rockestar_33]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

Get into breaks?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

Avoid a penalty for not showing up if nothing else. Steinbrenner, as I like to call him, showed good shape on Mallorca so he could possibly finish 12th or thereabout like last year. Beloki has a chance to make the top 20, too.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Feliz gall to get a dominant win on jebel mobrah after losing 10,000 minutes in the crosswinds and the time trial

 

[search]

I guess the TT startlist is already fixed again? Or do they need to finish at the back tomorrow to get a good starting time?

edit: yes, team decision, apart from the GC leader - according to the roadbook:

The starting order will be drawn up as follows:the reverse order of the individual general classification after the first stage will not be followed, but one rider per team will start every 20’ as if it were the first stage, except for the classification Leader who will start last.

Each team will indicate the starting order of their Riders in the form which will be given to teams at the technical meeting (by 18:00 on February 15th).

The succession of starts (with regard to the teams) will be established taking into account the general classification at the end of first stage.

 

[Samamba]

I guess the TT startlist is already fixed again? Or do they need to finish at the back tomorrow to get a good starting time?

edit: yes, team decision, apart from the GC leader - according to the roadbook:

The starting order will be drawn up as follows:the reverse order of the individual general classification after the first stage will not be followed, but one rider per team will start every 20’ as if it were the first stage, except for the classification Leader who will start last.

Each team will indicate the starting order of their Riders in the form which will be given to teams at the technical meeting (by 18:00 on February 15th).

The succession of starts (with regard to the teams) will be established taking into account the general classification at the end of first stage.

Meaning most will start early before broadcast like every year, so dumb

 

[Unchained]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

Read the Cycling UpTo Date comments by Johnny Vaughters and it's pretty clear that they are not a serious team. His comments about Del Toro have EF offer number less than @$350,000 US..other media back and forth have EF looking for a title sponsor . Johnny sort of giving the feeling that EF can't compete without massive money infusion.
Other teams have some good possibilities, Jayco has guys going well,UnoX, Q36 has some chances..Curious to see what Modern Adventure has planned if anything. Like some Ineos and Bahrain riders, Tiberi is due for something.

 

[Berniece]

Meaning most will start early before broadcast like every year, so dumb

Why is that? So there’s more time for recovery?

 

[Samamba]

Why is that? So there’s more time for recovery?

I wondered the same thing last year and yeah thats what Van Eetvelt said at least. But maybe also cause the wind always peaks between 3 and 4 so it could be beneficial to start immediately to make sure you're before that. Last year for example it was a significant difference. This year barely any wind predicted on tuesday tho.

Some riders do prefer starting late cause they have everyone elses time.

 

[search]

I think it's mostly about conditions. The wind always (so far, at least) picks up massively during the stage, meaning those starting late have no chance

 

[Ilmaestro99]

What can EF do with this lineup?

• 41QUINN Sean
• 42BELOKI Markel*
• 43MACKELLAR Alastair*
• 44MIHKELS Madis*
• 45SCHWARZBACHER Matthias*
• 46STEINHAUSER Georg*
• 47VAN DER LEE Jardi Christiaan*

Baffling how such a stalwart of the WT can have so many riders that I have never heard of. @Tim Cahill says he doesn't know any Uno x riders, well I would bet that I can name even less from EF

 

[KoopaCycling]

Baffling how such a stalwart of the WT can have so many riders that I have never heard of. @Tim Cahill says he doesn't know any Uno x riders, well I would bet that I can name even less from EF

I did not think much of Beloki when he was riding, thought him a weelsucker, but i only gained more respect for him as time went by. So was kinda nice to discover his son is riding a bike as well.

 

[kingjr]

I did not think much of Beloki when he was riding, thought him a weelsucker, but i only gained more respect for him as time went by. So was kinda nice to discover his son is riding a bike as well.

He was one of the few to actually try and attack Lance in the absence of Ullrich.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Baffling how such a stalwart of the WT can have so many riders that I have never heard of. @Tim Cahill says he doesn't know any Uno x riders, well I would bet that I can name even less from EF

I saw an interview with Vaughters about Carapaz the other day, saying how he would go missing for months in the Ecuadorian mountains with nobody able to contact him then come back absolutely flying, that if he'd only listen to the experts on the EF team he could be even better.

It sounded very familiar, then I remember he said he can't get Ben Healy to listen to the trainers and nutritionists, and that Rigoberto Uran was a 'nomad' who just 'did his own thing'.

He's so close to figuring it out, there's something in his head that won't let him make the logical leap, luckily young Beloki has cycling people around him probably telling him to just pretend he can't speak English so I expect him to be decent.