Guardini wins heat-shortened opening stage of Abu Dhabi Tour
Astana rider takes first leader's jersey
Andrea Guardini (Astana) won the opening stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour, after it was shortened due to the heat. Guardini was forced to jump around a slowing Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) but still had the legs to beat Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep) Sagan’s teammate Daniele Bennati.
The stage had been reduced by 14.5km after the high temperatures made for a slow day of racing, and the peloton had just one corner to manage in the final 500 metres after more than 50 kilometres of straight roads. Sagan wound up the sprint, working as a lead-out man for Bennati rather than his own ambitions.
Bennati flicked out to the right from Sagan’s wheel moments before Guardini did the same down the left, holding the others off to claim his third win of the season.
The heat beat down on the riders at the start in Qasr Al Sarab resort in the desert. Three riders wouldn’t make it that far though as Jacopo Guarnier (Katusha) was forced to quit due to illness, while Tanner Putt (UnitedHealthcare) also failed to start as a result of a training crash. Youcef Reguigui (MTN-Qhubeka) didn’t even make it to Abu Dhabi, with visa problems putting paid to any hopes he had.
A headwind and the relentless temperatures made for a very slow start to the day. Six men did brave the heat and broke free of the peloton. Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18), Songezo Jim (MTN-Qhubeka), William Clarke (Drapac), Francisco Mancebo (Skydive Dubai), Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare) and Michael Thompson (WIGGINS) were the hardy souls.
They managed to build a lead of over four minutes but the heat took its toll. Thompson was the first to crack, looking a little worse for wear. Clarke and Bazzana were next, but not until Clarke took the first intermediate sprint. They continued to drop like metaphorical flies until only Mancebo remained. There was some good news for the riders as the organisers agreed to remove the final 14.5-kilometre loop due to the slow pace and the heat.
Mancebo maintained a good advantage of around two minutes but when Lampre-Merida took to the front that was demolished pretty quickly. His teammate Rafaa Chtioui sensed that Mancebo’s day was done and struck out with less than 30 kilometres to go. Chtioui asked his teammate to follow, as he breezed past him, but Mancebo had nothing left.
There was a small sense of panic as Chtioui’s lead went up to two minutes but the peloton quickly regrouped and brought him back just outside the flamme rouge. Sagan led the sprint but it was Guardini that came out victorious.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 4:21:11 |
2 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Federico Zurlo (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Brenton Jones (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Soufiane Haddi (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Sebastián Molano (Col) Colombia | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Theo Bos (Ned) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Christopher Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Hussein Ahmed Abdulla Jaber (UAE) UAE | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica GreenEdge | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Sky | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Carlos Mario Ramirez (Col) Colombia | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Brendan Canty (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Carlos Quintero (Col) Colombia | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Daniel Martinez (Col) Colombia | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Alex Cano (Col) Colombia | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Mohammed Abdulrahim Al Majid (UAE) UAE | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Mohammed Alblooshi (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Daniel Pearson (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Iain Paton (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Michael Thompson (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Rafaâ Chtioui (Tun) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Gang Xu (Chn) Lampre-Merida | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Ali Ibrahim Abdulla Ammar (UAE) UAE | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Daniel Patten (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Luc Hall (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:17 |
83 | Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:00:21 |
84 | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:33 |
87 | Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | 0:00:36 |
88 | Mansour Thani (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:42 |
89 | Mario Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica GreenEdge | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Cheng Ji (Chn) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Soudir Shir Mohamad Talal (UAE) UAE | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Sodir Shir Mohamad Khayyam (UAE) UAE | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Team Katusha | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Travis Meyer (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yousef Ahmed Abdulla Ahmed (UAE) UAE | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 20 | pts |
2 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 16 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | 12 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | 9 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 7 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Edwin Avila (Col) Colombia | 5 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | 4 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team | 3 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 2 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Giant-Alpecin | 1 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling | 8 | pts |
2 | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 5 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | 3 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | 8 | pts |
2 | Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | 5 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 3 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 13:03:33 |
2 | Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Movistar Team | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Bora-Argon 18 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Colombia | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Team Sky | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Drapac Professional Cycling | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | MTN - Qhubeka | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Astana Pro Team | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | BMC Racing Team | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Orica GreenEdge | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Team Katusha | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Team WIGGINS | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Lampre-Merida | Row 16 - Cell 2 |