The 2017 Abu Dhabi Tour gets underway just four months after the 2016 Abu Dhabi Tour. Upgraded to the WorldTour for this season, the event has moved from October to February, now capping off a leg of popular Middle Eastern races that make for excellent early-season tune-up opportunities. Heading into just its third edition, the four-day race has rapidly become a popular choice for top-tier riders looking to hone their form.
The Abu Dhabi Tour kicks off with back-to-back flat stages for the sprinters before the lone offering for the climbers, a 186-km stage 3 that concludes with the Jebel Hafeet ascent. Tanel Kangert claimed the stage victory there in 2016 and went on to take the overall victory after the sprinter-friendly fourth and final stage at Yas Marina, which will also host this year's final stage.
The list of names with a shot at following up Kangert as GC champ in 2017 is truly impressive. Kangert's Astana teammate Fabio Aru, Movistar's Nairo Quintana, AG2R La Mondiale's Romain Bardet, Bahrain-Merida's Vincenzo Nibali, Trek-Segafredo's Alberto Contador, BMC Racing's Tejay van Garderen and Bora-Hansgrohe's Rafal Majka are just some of the potential overall contenders.
The class of sprinters eyeing three great opportunities for WorldTour victories is strong as well. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors), André Greipel (Lotto Soudal), Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) and Elia Viviani (Team Sky) are all slated to make the start in Abu Dhabi.
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2016 Abu Dhabi Tour Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|
| 1 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | 12:27:34 |
| 2 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky | 0:00:21 |
| 3 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:00:43 |
| 4 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:00 |
| 5 | Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Tinkoff Team | |
| 6 | Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:02 |
| 7 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:01:29 |
| 8 | Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:01:38 |
| 9 | Winner Anacona Gomez (Col) Movistar Team | |
| 10 | Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff Team | |
2016 Abu Dhabi Tour | 2015 Abu Dhabi Tour | Past Winners
