If cycling is about grit, drama, teamwork, strategy and overcoming unbearable conditions to cross the finish line, then Saturday’s queen stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour in Al Ain was the perfect spectacle to show the UAE what the sport is all about.
The 142km third stage of the inaugural edition of the Tour featured a pulsating finish at the summit of Jabel Hafeet as Esteban Chaves was caught by Team Sky’s Wout Poels in the final metres only for the latter to skid and crash 50m from the finish line at the very last corner, handing the Colombian the victory along with the leader’s red jersey.
Both Chaves and Fabio Aru passed Poels to take first and second place before the Dutchman got up and pedalled with one foot – the other shuffling on the ground – to complete the podium.
The Orica-GreenEDGE rider knew better than to celebrate as he opted for a muted reaction, knowing he probably wouldn’t have won had Poels not crashed.
“I want to say to Poels sorry, it’s the situation for the race. In the end I won, I think it’s not correct to lift my arms in celebration winning like this, it’s not correct. I passed him on the finish line and I won, but this is sport, no?” said a charming Chaves after the race.
In sweltering conditions that well exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, it was the 11km final climb up Jabel Hafeet – the highest peak in Abu Dhabi at 1,000m altitude – that witnessed all the drama.
The Abu Dhabi Tour was described by Chaves as “the hottest race in my career” and he says he used no less than 30 bottles of ice water to cool himself down in the scorching heat, pouring it on his lyra, knees, arms and neck.
Just like in the previous two stages, it was Skydive Dubai’s Rafaa Chtioui who was at the front but this time the peloton caught up with him with 9km still to go as the Tunisian buckled at the steep incline.
Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde attacked with 7km to go but to no avail before Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali made his move two kilometres later. But Chaves counter-attacked alone.
Nibali spoke to his team-mate, Vuelta a Espana champion Fabio Aru, and they switched roles with the former falling behind and Aru charging ahead, looking to catch up with Chaves and Poels.
With 3km to go, Chaves’ lead reached 18 seconds over Poels and 21 seconds over Aru and it was clear the Colombian’s legs weren’t letting up. But with 700m remaining, Poels passed Chaves only to slip moments later and surrender the win.
“I caught Chaves on that last little climb and then we went to the downhill and I knew that he was really really tired. So then I started really early the sprint uphill and I knew the corner was a really sharp one but then yeah… I crashed. That was really bad luck.
"The cars thought they saw that maybe my pedal was on the ground but I thought my front wheel was slipping away so maybe a little bit too fast,” said a surprisingly calm Poels at the race headquarters after the stage.
“I don’t really win a lot of races and when you’re so close for the stage you’re normally also GC then, so that’s quite hard. But it’s also cycling and bad luck and hopefully the next time I’ll have a little bit more luck.”
Congratulations to Esteban Chaves and @ORICA_GreenEDGE! #RideToAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/cGWMZAP9q8
— Abu Dhabi Tour (@Abu_Dhabi_Tour) October 10, 2015
Nibali, the 2014 Tour de France champion admits he did not have the legs to keep up his efforts in the climb and he felt Aru would have a better chance of getting the win.
“We spoke on the climb, Vincenzo tried first and then I had a go. I think we played a good team game. We rode in unison and spoke throughout the stage. It’s a pity not to win but we have to be pretty happy,” said Aru, who is now 12 seconds behind Chaves in the general classification.
“Chaves showed he was the strongest and we have to accept that.”
Chaves smiled when it dawned on him that if he manages to defend the red jersey on Sunday, he would get his first-ever general classification win as a professional.
The 25-year-old, who also has the white jersey, is having a breakthrough season having recently won two stages at the Vuelta.
“Actually yes,” Chaves laughed when it was brought to his attention that he would get his first GC triumph. “I didn’t think about this. For my professional career, if I have the jersey after the finish line tomorrow, it would be my first GC victory. But we wait for the finish line..
“For sure it would be pretty big for me.
“I have one dream in my life. I started this dream when I was 12 years old, that I want to win the Tour de France one day. But it’s a long way for this. I’ve never been in the Tour de France, I did one Giro and two Vueltas. It’s for sure a long way for my dream.
"This year was really important for my career. I can say that I can do it now, three weeks in competitive performance. We try next year maybe for one big tour again, really focus for the GC and we wait for the result.”
It will take something extreme to happen for Chaves to lose the red jersey today with the Tour heading back to Yas Island with a short sprint stage that will see the riders cycle around Yas Marina Circuit at night, under the floodlights, for 20 laps.
