Category: Previews

Ras al Khaimah Corniche > Al Marjan Island 181.9km Today the climbers had their fun, this stage is another for the quick men. The only thing that could stop the sprinters is the wind. Weather Hot and sunny.  The wind is coming from the west and will be 10-15km/h. There is a beautiful section of crosswind...

The first ever edition of Gran Camiño! Spain has been crying out for another stage race, and it’s great to see one taking place in Galicia, a beautiful part of the world where roads are rarely flat. We have one punchy stage, two GC days and a tough TT to round off the race. Stage...

Fujairah Fort > Jebel Jais 180.7km The fourth stage is the first of the mountaintop finishes, it’s time for the sprinters to move to the side. Like the other stages in the race, it’s a very boring day for everyone, until the final 10km.  Weather Nice and sunny, the wind will be around 10km/h. There...

Ajman 9km ITT If you thought the first two stages were boring, you ain’t seen nothing yet. We have a 9km TT, 4.5km out and 4.5km back. The cycling equivalent of watching paint dry. I know some of you out there love this discipline, but I’m not one. I can appreciate an aero TT position,...

Hudayriyat Island > Abu Dhabi Breakwater 176.4km The second stage is that should end in a sprint, but you just never know. Weather Hot and windy. The wind will come from the north-west and will be around 25-30km/h. That is well enough to cause splits. There are a few crosswind sections in the opening 90km....

Huesa > Chiclana de Segura 146.4km The race ends with a tricky looking stage. We have a series of climbs in the opening 20km, two tough looking climbs in the middle of the day, and then a challenging uphill finish. With the GC still delicately balanced, it’s a stage that should provide a lot of...

Madinat Zayed > Madina Zayed 184.1km It’s a strange looking opening stage. The bunch head south, then do two laps of a circuit that includes a series of small climbs, before heading due north towards the finishing line. The whole race takes place in the desert, so there is a chance of echelons, but the...

Lagoa > Malhão 172.8km The final stage in the Algarve is the traditional finish at the top of Alto do Malhão, but this year it already feels like an anti-climax. Remco Evenepoel destroyed everyone today, it looks like he’s got the race in the bag. The breakaway has won this stage in the past, but...

The world tour is back! This is the first “big” race of the season, although most will still say the season doesn’t begin until Omloop. The race follows a familiar pattern, lots of flat sprint stages to attract some of the fastest riders in the world, a short TT and then two mountaintop finishes. It’s...

Gabia Grande > Baza 167.3km The profile looks like the organisers took the normal Queen stage and flipped it. The hardest climb in the whole race comes just 15km into the stage. The Monachil climb is well known in this area, it’s an absolute brut of an effort. Last time it was used was back...