In the presence of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, HE Saeed Harib – Dubai Sports Council General Secretary and Diego Maradona, who attended the tour for the third consecutive season, Marcel Kittel (Etixx – Quick Step) the Blue Jersey, received the winner’s trophy, named the Circle of Stars.
The Dubai Tour is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Dubai; the race was classified as a 2.1 in 2013 and is organised by the Dubai Sports Council in partnership with RCS Sport, and was held for the first time between 5-8 February 2014. The race is made up of four stages, three of which are suited for sprinters and the third stage ending with an uphill finish to the Hatta Dam. The defending champion was Mark Cavendish, who won the 2015 Tour for Etixx–Quick-Step but was riding for Team Dimension Data this year.
Sixteen teams took part in the race; ten of which were UCI World Teams. There was also three UCI Professional Continental
teams and three UCI Continental teams with most teams being comprised of eight people. Since not every team brought their full quota of riders, only 124 riders were entered in the start list.
A Quick Stop at the Dubai Tour Village
Every day people could enter the Dubai Tour Village, located at the Dubai International Marine Club. This was a great chance for fans to get behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Tour, relax or enjoy various entertainment activities as well as see the Tour’s supporters in their respective stands. The Dubai Tour Village was the place where both adults and children could meet the champions and attend exciting performances. Among them was Vittorio “100% Brumotti” Brumotti’s stunt show.
Vittorio, is an Italian champion in trial bike and an exhibitionist. He made his first exhibition show at a very young age and he also won the trial bike World Championship in 2006. During his career he broke 10 Guinness World Records and he is now representing many important brands. Several years ago Vittorio had a bad accident but this never stopped his career and he continues to put 100% of his energy into cycling. Now he is famous for the tricks he could perform on a road bike, the very same bicycle used by the participants of the Tour.
Sprinting to Victory
On the racing side of things, the final stage was hot as competitors intensified their pursuit in order to win this climactic
finale to the Tour. During this stage, Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Jan Polanc and Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida), Sebastian Lander (One Pro Cycling), Mark Christian (Team Wiggins) and Roy Curvers (Team Giant – Alpecin) made the breakaway of the day. The composition of the escape was ideal for Marcin Bialoblocki (One Pro Cycling) to retain the lead in the intermediate sprints.
After regrouping with 11km to go, it all came down to a final and decisive bunch sprint. Had Nizzolo come second to Kittel,
he would have kept the overall lead but the German was so powerful that no one managed to hold his pace, with Elia Viviani
(Team Sky) and Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) finishing second and third, respectively.
At the end of it all, Marcel Kittel sprinted to victory outpacing Elia Viviani and Mark Cavendish to seal his second stage win of
the four-day race.
After the race, Kittel commented during a press conference “A new chapter opened in my life in 2016 with a change of team, and it’s been great to start this new chapter here. I’m super happy with the support I received.
My teammates did a great job and I had fun hugging Diego Maradona after I won! He really likes the race – he’s been here since the beginning – and it’s great to see him enjoy the event. A GC victory rarely happens for a sprinter like me. I’m excited by this win but I have to keep calm; we’re still in February and the season lasts till October. The biggest challenges are still ahead.”
Commenting on Kittel’s victory, Maradona said “I love Dubai and I’m very happy to be here for the last stage of the Dubai Tour. Today the winner is cycling but if I have to say something about Marcel Kittel — what muscles, what a
body!”
Alex Dowsett, member of the winning teams classification, Team Movistar, said: “At Movistar, we’re all good! I’m joking — but we’re always challenging for the teams classification. We’ve won it this time because we were trying to get Lobato to win the stage yesterday. He showed that he’s extremely good at uphill sprints. But when it comes to the fast flat sprints, he’s lacking
a bit of horsepower against Kittel and the pure sprinters. However, it’s great to have won the queen stage here. It’s an honour to attend the presentation with the whole team on stage. We’ll bring excellent memories of Dubai back home. Personally, the prologue of the Giro will be my next big goal.”
General Classification Results
1. Marcel Kittel – Etixx – Quick Step
2. Giacomo Nizzolo – Trek – Segafredo
3. Juan José Lobato – Movistar Team
Final Stage Results
1. Marcel Kittel – Etixx – Quick Step
2. Elia Viviani – Team Sky
3. Mark Cavendish – Dimension Data
Jerseys
• Blue Jersey, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Dubai (General individual classification by time) – Marcel Kittel (Etixx – Quick Step)
• Red Jersey, sponsored by Emirates (General individual classification by points) – Marcel Kittel (Etixx – Quick Step)
• White Jersey, sponsored by Roads and Transport Authority (Best Young Rider born after 1 January 1991) – Soufiane Haddi (Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club)
• UAE Flag Jersey, sponsored by Dubai Health Authority (Intermediate Sprint Jersey Classification) – Marcin Bialoblocki (One Pro Cycling)
Words by: Nico de Corato
Photos supplied by: Nico de Corato and Ansa/Daniel Dal Zennaro
