Cycling: The Dutch team Jumbo - Visma won the team time trial at the start of the UAE Tour. Primoz Roglic leads the overall standings, seven seconds ahead of Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) and nine over Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida). The two Germans Tony Martin and Paul Martens also had a large share in the best time, and they put themselves completely at the service of their team before reaching the finish line.
Jumbo - Visma inflicts large time lags on competitors
Team Jumbo-Visma completed the 16,0-kilometer course on Hudayriat Island in a best time of 16:49 minutes. Only two other teams, Sunweb (16:56) and Bahrain-Merida (16:58), managed to finish in under 17 minutes. As a result, several pre-race favorites are already significantly behind. Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) is 28 seconds behind Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma). Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo), and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) are 36, 43, and 45 seconds back, respectively.
🇦🇪 #UAETour
We just finished at 16:49 which is currently the fastest time. 9 sec faster than Bahrain Merida. Well done boys. pic.twitter.com/3eahPpwoZ5— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) February 24, 2019
What is the UAE Tour?
Strictly speaking, the UAE Tour is being held for the first time this season. It is the result of a merger between the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour. Both races previously took place in February and were organized by RCS Sport – also responsible for the Giro d'Italia. The Abu Dhabi Tour was won in succession in recent years by Esteban Chaves, Tanel Kangert, Rui Costa, and Alejandro Valverde. The winners of the Dubai Tour include Taylor Phinney, Mark Cavendish, Elia Viviani, and Marcel Kittel (twice). The list of winners clearly shows that while one tour favored the climbers, the other allowed the sprinters to shine.
UAE Tour 2019: What to expect after the merger
For the 2019 season, the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour were merged to form the UAE Tour. It now consists of seven stages and takes place in all seven emirates. After today's team time trial, the following days will offer opportunities for a variety of rider types. While stages 2, 5, and 7 appear likely to be mass sprints , stage 4 could see breakaway riders or all-rounders score points. The overall classification will probably be decided on stages 3 and 6, where the riders face mountain finishes on Jebel Hafeet and Jebel Jais, respectively. However, the strong winds should not be underestimated. Due to the very open landscape, crosswinds can significantly influence the outcome of the race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsjrR-5tyWs