Why the UAE Tour proved to be a tremendous success

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  • While many people were locked to television screens around the UAE watching the north London derby on Saturday, the final frenetic kilometres of the UAE Tour was taking place down at Dubai City Walk.

    The peloton roared along Al Safa Street – after a 145km ride that started from Dubai Safari Park – with Sam Bennett clinching the final stage in dramatic fashion, while Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic secured the overall victory after leading the race from day one.

    In fact, aside from Roglic’s sizzling win, it proved to be a captivating seven days of action for cycling fans around the country as the inaugural UAE Tour embraced all seven emirates.

    Although marquee cycling races have taken place here in the past, the UAE Tour represents an exciting new chapter for cycling in the region and adds to the growing list of sporting events currently taking place throughout the year.

    With each stage crossing into a different emirate, it allowed fans and riders to admire the beauty and the many trails and climbs the country has to offer.

    Furthermore, it’s a major boost for cycling in the Gulf to host a World Tour event and attract riders of this calibre, and adds to the exciting races that already take place in Oman on an annual basis.

    With a total distance of 1,090km spanned and a significant elevation gain of around 4,500 metres, there was an equal split of sprinter (two, five and seven) and climbing stages (three, four and six) throughout the week, as well as the opening time trial.

    And as unforgiving as some of the stages may have been, stage four was considered to be the favourite by many of the riders in the peloton.

    It’s obvious to see why. You just don’t see many finishes like the one at Hatta Dam in the world of cycling, with its steep ascent pushing the riders to the limit.

    It’s uniqueness as a course – starting from Palm Jumeirah – is matched by the beauty of the UAE as a location. And if the riders had any breath left by the time they reach the top of the summit in Hatta, it would have surely been taken away by the crystal blue water and sparkling mountains.

    What other events besides the obvious Grand Tours boast scenery and climbs of this calibre?

    The summit finish at Jebel Jais on Friday was equally as fascinating. After 160km of racing, the riders were presented with a gruelling 20km climb to finish stage six. Each twist around the UAE’s highest peak looked more treacherous with each turn of the pedal.

    But Roglic showed his class to evade the challenge of Tom Dumoulin and all but confirm his triumph in the inaugural race. Even with the fog covering the UAE on Friday, nothing could stop the Team Jumbo-Visma rider from shining brightest.

    Even stage three en route to the soaring climb of Jebel Hafeet, which Alejandro Valverde won in remarkable fashion, highlighted a stage at its very best and one that the peloton genuinely enjoyed rather than it being a treacherous test for just the climbers.

    To have the likes of Richie Porte, Dumoulin, Valverde, Roglic and sprinters such as Alexander Kristoff, Elia Viviani, Marcel Kittel and Fernando Gaviria committed to the UAE Tour further confirms the interest, popularity and demand for it going forward.

    Coupled with the well-organised route and rugged scenery, it’s the type of individuality that helps the UAE Tour earn its place as a central part in the cycling calendar.

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