Cycling royalty to ride in the capital
Wiggins, Cavendish, Viviani and Contador to compete in October’s Abu Dhabi Tour
Some of the biggest names in professional cycling are set to ride in the capital next month, in the second Abu Dhabi Tour.
The road race takes place over four days, running from October 20 to 23, and the list of competing riders features several who won medals at the Rio Olympics, including Brits Mark Cavendish (who is also the Tour’s official ambassador) and Sir Bradley Wiggins, plus Italian star Elia Viviani (who rides for Team Sky, the same team as Tour de France winner Chris Froome). Belgian legend Greg Van Avermaet, another winner in Rio, will also race in the emirate for BMC Racing Team.
In total, 18 teams will compete in the second Abu Dhabi Tour – 11 of those are some of the sport’s biggest UCI World Teams such as Team Sky, Moviestar, Astana Pro Team and Team Giant-Alpecin.
Other big names who will be riding during the four-day event include Spaniard Alberto Contador, one of only six riders to have won all three of the sport’s biggest events – the Tour de France, Vuelta a España and the Giro d’Italia. Fellow Italian Vincenzo Nibali, another who has won all three of cycling’s biggest races, will also be taking part.
The race covers 555km in four days. Stage one takes place in the Western Region at Madinat Zayed and Liwa, the second stage takes in the capital city itself, with the pros rolling past Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Adnec. Stage three takes place in Al Ain and finishes with a tough 10km climb up Jebel Hafeet, and the last stage takes place at sunset on the city’s F1 track at Yas Marina Circuit.
Want to know more about the race? You can read a full preview of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour in the October edition of Cyclist Middle East magazine, available in all good stores from October 1.
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