Just last week, Mark Cavendish was with his friend, Paul Smith, who designed the jerseys for the second edition of the Dubai Tour, and the Manxman told him he would do his best to bring him back one of his creations as the winner of the UAE showpiece.
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Yesterday, Cavendish took the first step towards fulfilling that promise he made to the British designer, as he won a sprint battle with Italians Andrea Guardini of Astana and Elia Viviani of Team Sky to clinch the 145km opening stage of the Dubai Tour in 3h24’50” and take over the general classification blue jersey.
@MarkCavendish wins Stage 1 of the @dubaitour in 3h24m50s and takes the General Points jersey too #DubaiTour2015 pic.twitter.com/bUgSx0M4QM
— Dubai Gran Fondo (@DubaiGranFondo) February 4, 2015
“I’m super-happy to wear the leader’s jersey here at the Tour of Dubai,” the Manx Missile said yesterday. “My good friend Paul Smith designed the jerseys. I saw him a week or so ago and I said I was going to bring him back one of his jerseys. He’ll be happy. I’m happy. I’ll dedicate my win to him actually today.”
Cavendish, world champion in 2011, launched his sprint finish a touch too early after his sprint train, with Australian Mark Renshaw as last lead-out man, broke up in the final run in.
As he approached the line, Cavendish was being quickly caught by Astana’s Guardini but a photo finish confirmed the Etixx-Quick Step rider had held on for the win.
“Ideally I wanted to leave it late, because there was a cross-headwind at the finish. And Sky went on the left early, and Renshaw stayed calm and used them to pick up some speed in the slipstream, then he overtook and started the lead out,” said Cavendish after the stage.
“I felt (Ben) Swift go on the left, and I had to go then, not through fear of Swift getting the jump on me but if somebody was behind Swift, they can then get the jump on me.
“So I went earlier than I’d liked, but I know I’ve got good form and I was able to hold it. I knew I was okay when I went, I felt Guardini coming up fast on me but I was happy to just hold on the line.”
The opening stage saw riders make their way from the Dubai International Marine Club to km 0 on Sheikh Zayed Road where they headed south in the direction of Abu Dhabi.
They pedaled through the desert in Jebel Ali and across Sheikh Zayed Road towards Al Maktoum airport before heading to Jumeirah Beach Road, where Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, ushered them through the arch at the finish line near the Union Flag, where Cavendish topped the podium and put on the blue jersey.
Paolo Simion of Bardiani CSF took the white jersey as the highest finisher in the young riders category, placing eighth.
Cavendish felt that only his team and Team Giant-Alpecin were really fighting for the sprint stage and he hit out at the other outfits, who weren’t riding for their sprinters.
“It was only ourselves and Giant riding. Some teams have bought sprinters this winter and then they don’t ride for the sprinters in the first race of the year. It doesn’t make sense,” said Cavendish, a winner of 11 stages last season.
“I think it’s a bit disrespectful to the sprinters. It’s a sprint race here, ride for the sprint if you bring the sprinters, otherwise you’re showing no confidence in them. But as always, my team showed confidence, they rode incredibly together. And just to follow Mark (Renshaw) is so nice, he’s so patient.”
The Dubai Tour resumes today (Thursday) with the Nakheel Stage – a 187km test that will take the riders from the Dubai International Marine Club to Atlantis on Palm Jumeirah.
Friday’s Oasis stage will see the peloton make their way to Hatta while the fourth and final Burj stage on Saturday will have the grand finale at Burj Khalifa.
