Dubai Tour: Lobato wins on Hatta Dam
Kittel puts in strong performance to stay in contention
Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar) claimed victory on stage 3 of the Dubai Tour to Hatta Dam after a stinging attack. Lobato has a good record on this climb, finishing third here in 2015 behind John Degenkolb and his teammate Alejandro Valverde.
Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafrado) was the only rider to get near the Spaniard to finish second with Silvan Dillier taking third. Nizzolo’s performance was enough to put him into the leader’s jersey just ahead of Lobato.
It was BMC that took control of the bunch inside the final kilometre, with Samuel Sanchez pacing Gilbert up the climb. Sanchez peeled off as they went around the final corner, leaving Gilbert to deliver but the Belgian faded quickly. Lobato was quick to take advantage and sailed up the right-hand side of the road, gaining a substantial advantage early on. Nizzolo stuck to his wheel for a few metres but had to relent and let him go.
Behind him, there was a battle for the bonus seconds with Dillier leading home a group including Gilbert and Fabian Cancellara that finished four seconds back. Marcel Kittel, who had given up the lead the day before, put in a monumental effort to gain places, even on the climb’s toughest gradients. He held onto the coattails of Cancellara to keep himself in contention for the overall classification at six seconds down in the GC.
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How it happened
Stage 3 of the Dubai Tour was set to be a crucial one for the overall fight, and the sprinters would have to ensure a strong finish on the Hatta Dam to keep themselves in contention. Viviani began the day as the new race leader after moving past Marcel Kittel (Etixx-QuickStep) in the general classification following his victory on stage 2.
One man that wouldn’t be in action was Michael Rogers (Tinkoff) who failed to make the start on medical advice. The Dubai Tour was the first race for Rogers since he was discovered to have a heart defect. Rogers was the only DNS and the remainder of the peloton took to the start for the 172-kilometre stage. However, Bernhard Eisel (Dimension Data) would join him as a retiree when he climbed off in the feed zone.
As has become an unspoken tradition at the Dubai Tour, Francisco Mancebo (Skydive Dubai) booked his place in the breakaway. Chun Kai Feng (Lampre-Merida), Andy Tennant (WIGGINS), Hayden McCormick (One Pro Cycling) and David Lozano Riba (Novo Nordisk) would keep him company in his endeavours.
With Viviani to look after Team Sky assumed the front of the peloton, where they would stay until the closing kilometres of the stage. The British outfit kept the escapees at close quarters allowing them a maximum advantage of 2:15. Saving themselves for the tough finish, the other teams were happy to let Sky take the pain on the front.
It wasn’t until the road started to climb towards Hatta Dam at just under 15 kilometres remaining that the real action began. As the escapees began dropping back into the peloton the attacks came. First off was Dimitry Gruzdev (Astana), sailing past the flagging escape group, igniting a furious battle to get off the front.
It appeared that Gruzdev’s move was nothing more than a softening up of the peloton as Lieuwe Westra then took leave of the front group, followed by another attack from Laurens de Vreese inside the final 10 kilometres. De Vreese’s move brought Ben Swift to the front, a serious threat to the victory for Astana. The pair took turns to try and shake Swift, who was forced to react to each upping of the pace.
As this was playing out front, Mark Cavendish’s continued to suffer, with late puncture resulting in him losing a hatful of time. There appeared to be an attempt to take a wheel from a teammate but the Manxman was eventually forced to wait for the team car to arrive by which time his hopes of the overall had all but ended.
The Westra, Gruzdev and Swift move would eventually be mopped up inside the final five kilometres by a peloton led by Movistar and Trek-Segafredo. Impressively, as many of the other sprinters had lost touch, Kittel still found himself inside the ever-reducing bunch.
Tony Martin led the group under the flame rouge, as the road towards the Hatta Dam began to really ramp up. He peeled off soon after to allow BMC take control in the form of Samuel Sanchez. He had Gilbert in his wheel but behind him was Cancellara, who had already shown this season that he was in strong form.
Gilbert was unable to utilise the punch that has won him several major races and he was resigned to watching Lobato power past him towards the line. Nizzolo would be the closest to him with Dillier taking third.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team | 4:13:23 |
2 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:02 |
3 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:04 |
4 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:07 |
8 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:11 |
11 | Luca Wackermann (Ita) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:00:14 |
12 | Soufiane Haddi (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Jesus Alberto Rubio (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Lars Boom (Ned) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:17 |
15 | Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | 0:00:20 |
16 | Andrea Palini (Ita) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | 0:00:25 |
17 | Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky | 0:00:27 |
18 | Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Michael Gogl (Aut) Tinkoff Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Nicolas Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:32 |
22 | Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Astana Pro Team | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Elia Viviani (Ita) Team Sky | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data | 0:00:37 |
29 | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Mark Christian (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:00:40 |
31 | Adil Jelloul (Mar) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | 0:00:44 |
35 | Chris Opie (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Christian Knees (Ger) Team Sky | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team | 0:01:09 |
42 | Michal Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff Team | 0:01:15 |
43 | Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Tom Bohli (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:01:22 |
45 | Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:01:25 |
47 | Peter Williams (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Ruslan Tleubayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:01:33 |
54 | Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:01:48 |
56 | Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:52 |
57 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:57 |
58 | Juraj Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | 0:02:00 |
59 | Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:02:05 |
60 | Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:02:13 |
61 | Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:02:15 |
63 | Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:02:18 |
64 | Liam Holohan (GBr) Team Wiggins | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Yousif Mirza (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Christopher Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:02:24 |
69 | Carter Jones (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Marcin Bialoblocki (Pol) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:02:29 |
74 | Sebastian Lander (Den) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Martin Mortensen (Den) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Yanto Barker (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | 0:02:36 |
79 | Roberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:02:40 |
80 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team | 0:03:05 |
81 | Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | 0:03:24 |
83 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:03:30 |
86 | Sacha Modolo (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:03:35 |
87 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | 0:03:39 |
88 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Trek-Segafredo | 0:03:47 |
89 | Nicolas Lefrancois (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:03:58 |
91 | Adrian Kurek (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Daniel Patten (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:04:05 |
93 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data | 0:05:15 |
94 | Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk | 0:05:20 |
95 | Andrea Guardini (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Majid Albalushi (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:05:23 |
99 | David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk | 0:05:32 |
102 | Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Erik Baska (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:05:35 |
105 | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) ONE Pro Cycling | 0:05:41 |
108 | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | 0:05:46 |
109 | Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data | 0:06:09 |
110 | Jaber Almansoori (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:06:15 |
111 | Ahmed Almansouri (UAE) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:06:29 |
112 | Ibrahim Al Ali (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | 0:07:16 |
113 | Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:07:48 |
114 | Kamberaj Xhuliano (Alb) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | 0:07:53 |
115 | Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Nick Dougall (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - Merida | 0:08:56 |
119 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | 0:10:56 |
120 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | 0:11:09 |
121 | Tariq Obaid (UAE) Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club | 0:11:36 |
122 | Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team Wiggins | 0:12:34 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 5 | pts |
2 | Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling | 3 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - Merida | 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 5 | pts |
2 | Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling | 3 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - Merida | 2 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk | 1 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Movistar Team | 25 | pts |
2 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 16 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 11 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Essaid Abelouache (Mar) Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 10 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | 8 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 6 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | 5 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Hayden Mccormick (NZl) ONE Pro Cycling | 5 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Chun Kai Feng (Tpe) Lampre - Merida | 5 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team | 4 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff Team | 3 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 2 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Novo Nordisk | 2 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | 1 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
Row 14 - Cell 0 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | -5 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Movistar Team | 12:40:43 |
2 | BMC Racing Team | 0:00:11 |
3 | Tinkoff Team | 0:00:44 |
4 | Skydive Dubai | 0:00:45 |
5 | Astana | 0:00:47 |
6 | Lampre-Merida | 0:00:58 |
7 | Etixx-QuickStep | 0:01:06 |
8 | Team Sky | 0:01:09 |
9 | Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:24 |
10 | CCC Sprandi Polkowice | 0:01:42 |
11 | Al Nasr Pro Cycling Team-Dubai | 0:02:12 |
12 | Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:02:46 |
13 | Team WIGGINS | 0:03:57 |
14 | One Pro Cycling | 0:03:59 |
15 | Team Novo Nordisk | 0:06:09 |
16 | Dimension Data | 0:07:36 |