Dubai Tour 2016 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

February 3, 2016

Dubai Tour 2016 – Stage 1 – Dubai – Fujairah : 179 km

The 2016 Dubai Tour route sees the race once again return to Hatta Dam, the location where John Degenkolb took a famous stage win on the 17 per cent climb to the line. The race kicks off with a 179km stage between Dubai and Fujairah. Marcel Kittel (Ettix QuickStep) is expected lead his new team in the race, making his debut after leaving Giant Shimano at the end of 2015. If he can find his form he should feature among the favourites for the opening leader’s jersey. Stage 2 will see the race head to Palm Jameirah, as it did in 2015, when Elia Vivianni won the stage. The next stage climbs to Hatta Dam before the final stage that takes place in the centre of Dubai.

Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) won the opening stage of the Dubai Tour in Fujairah, beating Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) after producing his trademark long, powerful sprint after a near perfect lead out from his new teammates.

Cavendish managed to come from behind and fight through the other riders to take Kittel’s wheel but was unable to come past him before the line. Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) was fourth, Andrea Palini (Dubai SkyDive) was fifth and Andrea Guardini (Astana) sixth. Britain’s Chris Opie (One Pro Cycling) was also in the mix, finishing seventh, ahead of Elia Viviani (Team Sky).

Thanks to the time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds awarded at the finish, Kittel is the first overall leader of this year’s race and pulled on the race leader’s blue jersey.

The German held up his fist in celebration and hugged his new Etixx-QuickStep teammates. Winning on his season debut and on his debut with his new team confirmed he is on form and has worked hard during the winter after quitting Giant-Alpecin.

“Especially after a hard season last year I’m incredibly happy that I could win, but even more that it worked so well with the new team,” said Kittel after crossing the line. “The boys did a really, really good job and everyone saw we were the strongest in the lead out. We talked a lot about it before so the fact it has gone so well on the first stage is incredible.

”This year for me everything starts again at zero. I was really focused on training, working with the guys, making plans for 2016. I’m feeling really good already so I’m happy it’s working well already.”

How it happened

Much of the stage took place on the wide highways that bypass the centre of Dubai and then head across the UAE towards Fujairah. The early attacks came thick and fast during the opening 30km as riders tried time and time again to get into the break. Philippe Gilbert (BMC) had two goes, perhaps in pursuit of the bonus seconds at the first intermediate sprint, but he was pulled back.

As the peloton tired of the early skirmishes, a small group of riders got away and they were later joined by two more to form the break of the day. Loic Vliegen (BMC), Martin Mortensen (One Pro Cycling), Charles Planet (Novo Nordisk), Marc Soler (Movistar), Soufiane Haddi (Skydive Dubai) and Jesus Alberto Rubio (Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team Dubai) were up there and shared the work on the long straight road going east.

Haddi won the first intermediate sprint and later swept up the second sprint to take the lead in the points competition.

Back in the peloton, the Etixx-QuickStep and Dimension Data teams accepted responsibility for the chase and took turns on the front, with Daniel Teklehaimanot doing a lot of the work for Dimension Data. The gap never grew much more than three minutes and fell as the riders rode the gradual climb with 40km to go. The gradient was gradual but hurt the legs a little, despite a tail wind.

The break was caught with 10km to go after fighting for the last intermediate sprint, as Team Wiggins moved to the front of the peloton. Bradley Wiggins lead his young teammates after spending much of the race out of danger at the back of the peloton. The other teams were happy to let the Wiggins take up the strain and they stayed on the front until a late attack by Philippe Gilbert (BMC) with three kilometres to go. He was quickly back and the sprint trains again took charge, with the white Trek-Segafredo jerseys hitting the front.

However, Etixx-QuickStep wanted to control the sprint and went shoulder to shoulder with Trek with a kilometre to go. The other sprinters had to fight for the best wheels behind them.

Matteo Trentin was Kittel’s last man. Kittel hit the front a little early but had the power to get a jump on his rivals and the speed to make it all the way to the line. Cavendish was equally fast – if not faster – but could not get up to Kittel before the finish line appeared. In the clash between Kittel and Cavendish, it is 1-0 for the German but the Brit must be happy to go so close after training on the track during the winter.

Thursday’s 183km second stage should end in another sprint, and another clash between Kittel and Cavendish, with the flat route finishing on the edge of the Jumeirah Palm. Winds are forecast, adding an extra factor to the thrill of the finish.

Results :
1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx – Quick-Step 3:35:21
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data
3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
4 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre – Merida
5 Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
6 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
7 Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
8 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
9 Michal Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff Team
10 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
11 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin
12 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
13 Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
14 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
15 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
16 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
17 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:05
18 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step
19 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team
20 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team
21 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins
22 Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
23 Kamberaj Xhuliano (Alb) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
24 Luca Wackermann (Ita) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
25 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
26 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
27 Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
28 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
29 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
30 Yousif Mirza (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
31 Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
32 Jaber Almansoori (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
33 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
34 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre – Merida
35 Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
36 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
37 Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
38 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
39 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
40 Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
41 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
42 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step
43 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
44 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
45 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro Team
46 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
47 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
48 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
49 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
50 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
51 Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
52 Peter Williams (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
53 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
54 Sebastian Lander (Den) ONE Pro Cycling
55 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
56 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
57 Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling
58 Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre – Merida
59 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
60 Soufiane Haddi (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
61 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
62 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
63 Liam Holohan (GBr) Team Wiggins
64 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
65 Adil Jelloul (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
66 Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team
67 Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team Wiggins
68 Jesus Alberto Rubio (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
69 Yanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
70 Marcin Bialoblocki (Pol) ONE Pro Cycling 0:00:16
71 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk
72 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff Team
73 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
74 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
75 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
76 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team Wiggins
77 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
78 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team
79 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data
80 Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre – Merida
81 Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
82 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
83 Nicolas Lefrancois (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
84 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
85 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
86 Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
87 Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
88 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) ONE Pro Cycling
89 Mark Christian (GBr) Team Wiggins
90 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team
91 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
92 Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
93 Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
94 Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
95 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
96 Majid Albalushi (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
97 Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff Team
98 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
99 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – Merida
100 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:00:24
101 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
102 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team 0:00:26
103 Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:34
104 Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre – Merida
105 Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:45
106 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data 0:00:47
107 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data 0:00:49
108 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
109 Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:54
110 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:00
111 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:01:02
112 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky 0:01:22
113 Nicolas Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:25
114 Ibrahim Al Ali (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club 0:01:44
115 Tariq Obaid (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club 0:01:57
116 Martin Mortensen (Den) ONE Pro Cycling 0:02:13
117 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
118 Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 0:02:37
119 Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data
120 Ahmed Almansouri (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai 0:03:23
121 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Wiggins 0:03:28
122 Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data
123 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team Wiggins
124 Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data 0:04:03

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx – Quick-Step 3:35:11
2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 0:00:04
3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:06
4 Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:00:09
5 Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club 0:00:10
6 Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team
7 Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
8 Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky
9 Michal Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff Team
10 Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
11 Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin
12 Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team
13 Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
14 Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
15 Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team
16 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team
17 Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team
18 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:13
19 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team
20 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team 0:00:15
21 Christopher Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins
22 Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
23 Kamberaj Xhuliano (Alb) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
24 Luca Wackermann (Ita) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
25 Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team
26 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
27 Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
28 Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
29 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
30 Yousif Mirza (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
31 Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
32 Jaber Almansoori (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
33 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo
34 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre – Merida
35 Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
36 Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
37 Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
38 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
39 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
40 Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
41 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
42 Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step
43 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team
44 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
45 Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro Team
46 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
47 Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
48 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team
49 Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
50 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
51 Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
52 Peter Williams (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
53 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
54 Sebastian Lander (Den) ONE Pro Cycling
55 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
56 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
57 Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling
58 Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre – Merida
59 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
60 Soufiane Haddi (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
61 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
62 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
63 Liam Holohan (GBr) Team Wiggins
64 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
65 Adil Jelloul (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
66 Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team
67 Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team Wiggins
68 Jesus Alberto Rubio (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
69 Yanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling
70 Marcin Bialoblocki (Pol) ONE Pro Cycling 0:00:24
71 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk 0:00:26
72 Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff Team
73 David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
74 Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team
75 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
76 Daniel Patten (GBr) Team Wiggins
77 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
78 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team
79 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data
80 Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre – Merida
81 Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club
82 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
83 Nicolas Lefrancois (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
84 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky
85 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
86 Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk
87 Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin
88 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) ONE Pro Cycling
89 Mark Christian (GBr) Team Wiggins
90 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team
91 Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky
92 Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
93 Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
94 Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo
95 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
96 Majid Albalushi (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai
97 Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff Team
98 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
99 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – Merida
100 Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:00:34
101 Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk
102 Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team 0:00:36
103 Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:00:44
104 Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre – Merida
105 Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:55
106 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data 0:00:57
107 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data 0:00:59
108 Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
109 Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:01:04
110 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:10
111 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:01:12
112 Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky 0:01:32
113 Nicolas Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:01:35
114 Ibrahim Al Ali (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club 0:01:54
115 Tariq Obaid (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club 0:02:07
116 Martin Mortensen (Den) ONE Pro Cycling 0:02:23
117 Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
118 Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data 0:02:47
119 Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data
120 Ahmed Almansouri (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai 0:03:33
121 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Wiggins 0:03:38
122 Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data
123 Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team Wiggins
124 Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data 0:04:13