Estonia’s Tanel Kangert won the gruelling third stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour on Saturday and claimed the overall leader’s red jersey as he was first to the top of the Jebel Hafeet mountain climb.
Kangert, finishing the stage in 3 hours 31 minutes 31 seconds was followed by Irishman Nicholas Roche, 17 seconds back, and Eritrean Mekseb Debesay and Italian Diego Ulissi, who arrived joint-third a further 33 seconds adrift.
Kangert, at 9h 19m 44s takes a 21-second overall lead on Roche heading into Sunday’s final stage, a 26-lap sprint around Yas Marina Circuit.
Ulissi is 43 seconds behind in third and lurking dangerously joint-fourth, a minute behind, are cycling superstars Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador.
The third stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour, which winds around Al Ain city, is noted for its final climb of Jebel Hafeet, an 11km stretch with a difficult 11 per cent gradient. Kangert seemed to gain strength as he neared the end, and had plenty of time to zip up his Team Astana shirt and display it properly for the finish line.
It puts him excellent position for Sunday’s 143km Stage around the Formula One track at Yas Island. The Jebel Hafeet climb is considered the bellwether for this race, as Esteban Chaves vaulted into pole position after winning Stage 3 last year and indeed went on to claim the general classification comfortably.
Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish remains the green jersey general point classification leader, Frenchman Julien Bernard usurped the young rider’s white jersey from Dion Smith and Jens Keukeleire leads the intermediate sprint classification.
Standings
• 1 Tanel Kangert, EST, Team Astana 9:19:44
• 2 Nicholas Roche, IRL, Team Sky +0:21
• 3 Diego Ulissi, ITA, Lampre-Merida +0:43
• 4 Vincenzo Nibali, ITA, Team Astana +1:00
• 5 Alberto Contador, ESP, Tinkoff +1:00
More to come...
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