UAE Tour 2026, February 16-22

[kingjr]

Close win for Milan, didn't look that strong.

Don't understand what happened to INEOS and Lotto train. After the highway they were in the lead, and suddenly nowhere to be seen

That was a 250 m sprint and he wins by almost a bike length, if that's not strong, I don't know what is. Credit to Ethan Vernon for leaving enough room on the left.

 

[tobydawq]

Second time this finish, second time a crash in that last corner. I appreciate the UAE Tour trying to do something different with some turns, but if you have 7 lane roads for 10kms straight coming into 2 smaller turns it's just asking for trouble

To me it looked like Matteo Milan's rear tyre exploded in the last bend. Hard to blame the route planners for that.

 

[Berniece]

That was a 250 m sprint and he wins by almost a bike length, if that's not strong, I don't know what is. Credit to Ethan Vernon for leaving enough room on the left.

Did he win by a bike length? I turned it off after the sprint so I didn't see from above. It looked like Blikra Erlend was quite close and if the door wasn't shut on him it would've been much closer. Could be wrong, because that was front view, not top view

 

[yaco]

Will Jayco and Astana also be working on Sunday's stage?

Jayco were only on the front in the last 15kms. They are trying desperately to get O'Connor into shape.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Credit to Ethan Vernon for leaving enough room on the left.

Rather less credit to Milan for the space he allowed the Decathlon rider (Bol?).

 

[Samamba]

To me it looked like Matteo Milan's rear tyre exploded in the last bend. Hard to blame the route planners for that.

Well if it's the 2nd time in 2 days that someones tire explodes we have another problem.

I still think it's a very very sketchy finish. Like I said, I understand trying something different, it is interesting, but it's definitely looking for trouble imo with a bunch of fresh riders knowing they need to be in front in those last corners

Not that it's the worst thing every. It's in the last km. GC riders can just sit back, so at least they are not at risk.

 

[kingjr]

Rather less credit to Milan for the space he allowed the Decathlon rider (Bol?).

He initially got pushed to the left by Vernon.

 

[kingjr]

Did he win by a bike length? I turned it off after the sprint so I didn't see from above. It looked like Blikra Erlend was quite close and if the door wasn't shut on him it would've been much closer. Could be wrong, because that was front view, not top view

I doubt it, didn't look like he had much more to give. He barely had his nose in the wind at all, so that doesn't tell as much about their respective strength anyway.

 

[Unchained]

Did he win by a bike length? I turned it off after the sprint so I didn't see from above. It looked like Blikra Erlend was quite close and if the door wasn't shut on him it would've been much closer. Could be wrong, because that was front view, not top view

The real miracle is he didn't break the 13 speed chain or the cheesy Red cranks as he smashed 10,000 giga watts in last 50 meters!

 

[tobydawq]

Well if it's the 2nd time in 2 days that someones tire explodes we have another problem.

Agreed. And I'm not sure, I just thought it from the overhead looked like he hit some liquid with the tyre and then slipped, and given that the road was very unlikely to have been wet, that liquid could have come from inside the tyre. But I didn't rewind to take a closer look after I had the thought, so it may not be true.

 

[RedheadDane]

Honestly, I think this might be the most surprising thing I've read from this race so far:

Stjernes styrt på udskældt udstyr forklares

Både holdet og producenten sætter ord på de besynderlige billeder

www.feltet.dk

I didn't even realise he was in the race...

 

[Samamba]

Tail wind on Hafeet tomorrow. Some crosswind on the parts where it has split in tha past (last year for example), but not enough wind to cause chaos probably

 

[Cycling111]

This climb suits Del Toro better; it's less hard. He's the favorite to win the stage, but Tiberi should be able to keep up with him.
The most difficult for him to stay in Del Toro's wheel in the final attack. He can lose 16 seconds.

 

[tobydawq]

Tail wind on Hafeet tomorrow. Some crosswind on the parts where it has split in tha past (last year for example), but not enough wind to cause chaos probably

So Van Eetvelt will not be dropped long before the climb this year?

 

[Unchained]

This climb suits Del Toro better; it's less hard. He's the favorite to win the stage, but Tiberi should be able to keep up with him.
The most difficult for him to stay in Del Toro's wheel in the final attack. He can lose 14 seconds.

I personally don't think Del Toro is the obvious favorite, plenty of riders that are in the thick of it, just like Del Toro almost training rides because of how flat and unchallenging , almost absolute sprinter stages. The real question is how this semi rest days effect individual riders. The race is setup for all or nothing for Saturday. Stages 2,5,7 dead flat. I don't know if Dillier from Alpecin needs to go off the front anymore. GC places down near 15 can have a real shake up from some riders getting pressured and crack on the climbs .

 

[Samamba]

So Van Eetvelt will not be dropped long before the climb this year?

That's why i looked

Tbf he himself and Lotto have been doing way better at keeping in front when it's needed so far this week. Also just a way stronger rouleur team around him than last year. Some experience too with De Buyst. Team around him last year was just horrible. But yeah it was also just Van Eetvelts own fault back the, who sits in 80th position when there's chance at echelons.