Will Remco Evenepoel take revenge on Jebel Hafeet in UAE Tour?
In the sixth stage of the UAE Tour, the battle for the overall victory will likely be decided for good, as hiding on the finish at Jebel Hafeet is not an option. Can Isaac Del Toro still challenge leader Antonio Tiberi? And will Remco Evenepoel manage to take revenge? WielerFlits looks ahead!
Route
Last year, the UAE Tour ended on Jebel Hafeet; this time the climb is the finale of the penultimate stage. The mountain in the interior of Abu Dhabi is just under 11 kilometers long, climbing at an average gradient of about 7%, with sections halfway up reaching well over 10%. In the past, Tadej Pogačar (four times), Adam Yates (twice), and Alejandro Valverde and Lennert Van Eetvelt have all taken victory here.
The riders start from Al Ain, a city in the United Arab Emirates within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. With nearly 600,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city in the emirate and the fourth-largest in the country. From there, the route heads over flat roads and takes a substantial detour before reaching the final climb.
What makes Jebel Hafeet so challenging is the gradient. However, the three-lane road can be misleading. Regularly, the road climbs at 8 to 9%. The steepest section (11%) comes three kilometers from the finish. In the final kilometer, there is a short descent before the road rises one last time towards the finish. We have seen in the past how big gaps can still open up here.
Classifications
Favorites
Antonio Tiberi was somewhat surprisingly the strongest on Jebel Mobrah in the third stage. The Italian found a second wind after initially having to let go and then left all his rivals behind. He is once again among the favorites on Saturday but will feel the hot breath of a Belgian and a Mexican behind him eager for revenge.
The biggest challenger to Tiberi is expected to be Isaac Del Toro. The Mexican rider from UAE Emirates XRG finished fifteen seconds behind the winner on Jebel Mobrah after fighting back from a tough moment. Del Toro will be determined to secure the (overall) victory in his team’s home race.
Then there is, of course, Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian had a bad day on Jebel Jais but faces a climb on Jebel Hafeet that suits him better. The rider from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will be aiming to win on Saturday at all costs.
Also worth watching is the Belgian Lennert Van Eetvelt. The Lotto-Intermarché climber finished third, 29 seconds behind Tiberi in the third stage, showing good form. He might spring a surprise on Jebel Hafeet.
Other riders to keep an eye on include Harold Tejada, Felix Gall, and Tobias Halland Johannessen. The trio posted a strong final climb in the third stage, finishing within a minute of Tiberi. Gall even rode solo for a while but misjudged his climb, as several riders later overtook him. Lastly, outsiders such as Derek Gee-West, Jørgen Nordhagen, and Ilan Van Wilder are also worth mentioning.
Weather and TV
It will be warm and clear in the Emirates on Wednesday. Temperatures on Jebel Hafeet will rise to nearly thirty degrees Celsius in the afternoon. The wind (2 Beaufort) will come from the east.
