It has been a long old season for Alberto Contador, a man who is not getting any younger. When he arrived in Abu Dhabi for his first participation in the Abu Dhabi Tour, he admitted he was not in the best condition to be here.
He was never going to do much in the three flat stages favouring sprinters but Saturday, attacking Jebel Hafeet, was to be his day.
More Abu Dhabi Tour
• Tanel Kangert: For Team Astana rider, a day on top of the mountain for once
• In pictures: Up Jebel Hafeet they go in Abu Dhabi Tour's third stage
In the end he did not disappoint, finishing in fifth place. But at one stage in the 11km-climb, it looked as if he might get something more, primed as he was with Vincenzo Nibali to attack the leaders.
It was not to be, though Contador did enjoy a climb of the kind he would not have seen too often in his career. “It’s good this climb,” he said after the race. “It’s very, very different to the Pyrenees or the Alps.
“Also it is a pretty hard climb. You need a very strong team to approach this and next year, on the World Tour, it might be harder.”
Contador did not think Tanel Kangert was an unexpected stage winner, but he was happy with his own performance. “I’m happy with my result. After I started training I was sick and couldn’t go to Il Lomdardia [which he missed because of flu] and did a little training before this. I am happy with this.”
With just the final stage of the race at the Yas Marina Circuit left on Sunday, Tinkoff rider Contador is already looking forward to putting his bike away, his feet up, and putting on a few extra kilos.
“This was a hard race, especially as I’m not in very good condition,” he said. “But I knew when I came here to Abu Dhabi, I needed to only enjoy the race.
“I am happy also that we are more or less in the front, which was good for the team. Tomorrow is last day of the season and we can look ahead to 2017. Now I am finished I will have time to enjoy. It’s good because you finish the season late here, you have less time to gain more kilograms in the winter.”
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The rules on fostering in the UAE
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
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The first female investigator in Hatta.
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She believes that there is a solution to every problem
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Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
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