ABU DHABI // Mark Cavendish may have his eyes set on winning the Red and Green jerseys at the Abu Dhabi Tour, but he will have to pedal his socks off to do it.
Cavendish is recovering from a shoulder injury that is hampering his end-of-season preparations. And on Thursday, race organisers of the capital’s inaugural cycling event, threw further obstacles in his way, unveiling a formidable list of the world’s best cyclists participating in the Tour, which takes place from October 8-11.
Joaquim Rodriguez, Philippe Gilbert and Peter Sagan are the foremost threats in a field that will include 18 teams of six riders each; the UAE will have two teams participating. Only each team’s lead riders were introduced.
Cavendish will have to keep an eye on the Belgian Gilbert, in particular. Gilbert is a former winner of the World Road Race Championships and is aiming to repeat his 2012 win before he arrives in Abu Dhabi.
“The new race in Abu Dhabi is exciting and will introduce cycling to a new part of the world,” Gilbert said. “I will finish my season there, and I would be proud to race the Abu Dhabi Tour in the rainbow jersey if I am successful in Richmond,” the venue for the World Championships, starting from September 20.
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The field is a particularly high-quality one, ensured by the signing of a three-year agreement between Abu Dhabi Tour and Velon Group, which has some of the world’s best cycling teams in its stable, including Team Sky, BMC Racing Team and Etixx-Quick-Step.
Graham Bartlett, Velon’s chief executive, said: “The Velon teams have got behind the Abu Dhabi Tour and worked hard to field a fantastic bunch of riders. The Abu Dhabi Tour is going to be incredibly exciting and we’re looking forward to bringing its drama and spectacle to the fans.”
Three of the stages are fairly flat, which means strong sprinters such as Cavendish and the German Marcel Kittel, will likely figure more prominently than others. Puncheurs such as Peter Sagan, who specialise in rolling terrain and short, sharp climbs, will thrive on Stage 3, which includes the ferocious Jebel Hafeet ascent.
But riders such as Rodriguez, a three-time winner of the Union Cycliste International (UCI) WorldTour ranking and with multiple podium finishes in cycling’s greatest races, cannot be discounted.
Neither Vincenzo Nibali, current leader of the UCI rankings, the 2014 Tour de France winner and one of only six men to have won the three Grand Tours of cycling: the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
“The organisers are putting on a great race that is a sprinter-friendly race but with the overall winner being decided on Stage 3 on the summit finish up Jebel Hafeet, for sure,” Cavendish said. “So there is something for all the top riders and teams. The best and most unique stage of the race will be the final stage on the Yas Marina Formula One racetrack at night under lights; criterium style racing with 20 laps of 5.5km.”
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