The 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour was a road cycling stage race that took place between 21 and 25 February 2018 in Abu Dhabi. It was the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Tour and the third event of the 2018 UCI World Tour.[2][3]
| 2018 UCI World Tour, race 3 of 37 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | 21–25 February 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 687.6 km (427.3 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 16h 00' 11"[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The race was won on the final day by the Movistar Team's Alejandro Valverde, from Spain, winning the stage finish up to Jebel Hafeet.[4] Valverde finished 17 seconds clear of Dutch rider Wilco Kelderman from Team Sunweb, while the podium was completed by Colombia's Miguel Ángel López (Astana), a further 12 seconds in arrears.[1] The performance by López was also enough for him to win the young rider classification.[1]
In the race's other classifications, Italy's Elia Viviani – riding for Quick-Step Floors – was the winner of the green jersey for the points classification,[1] winning the second stage during the race, while Gazprom–RusVelo's Nikolay Trusov from Russia won the intermediate sprints classification and its accompanying black jersey,[1] having led the standings from start to finish. The teams classification was won by Bora–Hansgrohe, having placed Rafał Majka, Davide Formolo and Emanuel Buchmann within the top-ten placings overall.[1]
Teams
editAs the race was only added to the UCI World Tour calendar in 2017, all UCI WorldTeams were invited to the race, but not obligated to compete in the race. As such, seventeen of the eighteen WorldTeams – with the exception of FDJ – competed in the race,[5] up one on 2017. Three UCI Professional Continental teams competed as well, completing the 20-team peloton.[6]
UCI WorldTeams
Professional Continental teams
Route
editThe route for the 2018 edition of the race was released on 23 January 2018.[5] The race was extended from four stages to five,[5][7] with the addition of an individual time trial for the first time; as well as this, the summit finish of Jebel Hafeet ends the race instead of a circuit race at the Yas Marina motor racing circuit.
| Stage | Date | Route | Distance | Type | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 February | Madinat Zayed to Madinat Zayed | 189 km (117 mi) | 
|
Flat stage |  Alexander Kristoff (NOR)
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| 2 | 22 February | Yas Mall to Yas Beach | 154 km (96 mi) |
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Flat stage |  Elia Viviani (ITA)
|
| 3 | 23 February | Nation Towers to Big Flag, Al Marina | 133 km (83 mi) |
|
Flat stage |  Phil Bauhaus (GER)
|
| 4 | 24 February | Al Maryah Island to Al Maryah Island | 12.6 km (8 mi) | 
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Individual time trial |  Rohan Dennis (AUS)
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| 5 | 25 February | Qasr Al-Muwaiji to Jebel Hafeet | 199 km (124 mi) | 
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Medium-mountain stage |  Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
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Stages
editStage 1
edit- 21 February 2018 — Madinat Zayed to Madinat Zayed, 189 km (117 mi)[7]
Stage 2
edit
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Stage 3
edit- 23 February 2018 — Nation Towers to Big Flag, Al Marina, 133 km (83 mi)[7]
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Stage 4
edit- 24 February 2018 — Al Maryah Island to Al Maryah Island, 12.6 km (8 mi), individual time trial (ITT)[7]
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Stage 5
edit- 25 February 2018 — Qasr Al Muwaiji to Jebel Hafeet, 199 km (124 mi)[7]
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Classification leadership table
editIn the 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers at intermediate sprints and at the finish of mass-start stages, the leader received a red jersey.[5] This classification was considered the most important of the 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Additionally, there was a points classification, which awarded a green jersey.[5] In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 10 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 20 points, with 16 for second, 12 for third, 9 for fourth, 7 for fifth, 5 for sixth with a point fewer per place down to a single point for 10th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued – on an 8–5–3–1 basis – at intermediate sprint points during each stage, with the exception of the individual time trial; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification. There was also a sprints classification for the points awarded at the aforementioned intermediate sprints, where the leadership of which was marked by a black jersey.[5]
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey.[5] This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1993 were eligible to be ranked in the classification.[5] There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.
| Stage | Winner | General classification
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Points classification
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Young rider classification
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Sprints classification
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Team classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1[13] | Alexander Kristoff | Alexander Kristoff | Alexander Kristoff | Caleb Ewan | Nikolay Trusov | Bardiani–CSF |
| 2[14] | Elia Viviani | Elia Viviani | Elia Viviani | Danny van Poppel | Quick-Step Floors | |
| 3[15] | Phil Bauhaus | Phil Bauhaus | Bahrain–Merida | |||
| 4[16] | Rohan Dennis | Rohan Dennis | Miles Scotson | BMC Racing Team | ||
| 5[1] | Alejandro Valverde | Alejandro Valverde | Miguel Ángel López | Bora–Hansgrohe | ||
| Final[1] | Alejandro Valverde | Elia Viviani | Miguel Ángel López | Nikolay Trusov | Bora–Hansgrohe | |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h "Valverde wins Abu Dhabi Tour with final stage victory". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ "UCI announces 2018 road calendar". Cycling News. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ "2018 UCI WorldTour calendar unveiled". Velon. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi, stage 5: Valverde climbs to stage win and overall title". VeloNews. Competitor Group. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Abu Dhabi Tour Five Stage Edition – Route and Jerseys Unveiled". ADSC.ae. Abu Dhabi Sports Council. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ Prashant, N. D. (20 February 2018). "Abu Dhabi Tour 2018: Meet the teams". Gulf News. Al Nisr Publishing. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "2018 Abu Dhabi Tour TV Coverage and Schedule". Abu Dhabi Tour. RCS MediaGroup. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ a b Robertshaw, Henry (21 February 2018). "Alexander Kristoff wins Abu Dhabi Tour stage one after Mark Cavendish crashes out". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ a b Robertshaw, Henry (22 February 2018). "Elia Viviani wins stage two of the Abu Dhabi Tour after crosswinds split race to pieces". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ a b Robertshaw, Henry (23 February 2018). "Phil Bauhaus beats Marcel Kittel by millimetres in incredibly tight photo finish at Abu Dhabi Tour". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- ^ a b Wynn, Nigel (24 February 2018). "Rohan Dennis takes Abu Dhabi Tour lead after time trial victory". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- ^ a b Robertshaw, Henry (25 February 2018). "Rohan Dennis takes Abu Dhabi Tour lead after time trial victory". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi Tour: Kristoff wins opening stage". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi Tour: Viviani wins stage 2 and takes race lead". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Abu Dhabi Tour: Bauhaus edges out Kittel on stage 3". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- ^ "Dennis takes Abu Dhabi lead after time trial victory". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.